Apparatus and method for generating data signals

ABSTRACT

A handheld device having a main body and at least one button integral with the main body for causing generation of electrical signals. A pair of thumb controllers may be integral with the main body and positioned so that a user holding the device may tactilely engage each of the thumb controllers. A pair of sensing means may be operatively connected with the thumb controllers to generate an electrical signal in response to the user&#39;s tactile engagement with the thumb controllers. The signals may be resolved by a processor to determine an alphanumeric character to be generated. The signals may also be resolved with a signal generate by movement of the button to determine a state change to be generated in a video game so a user may interact with the video game. An electrical signal indicative of the video game state change may be generated and transmitted to a processing device executing the video game.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This continuation-in-part application claims the benefit of U.S.continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 10/872,022 filed Jun. 18,2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,762, which claims the benefit of U.S.continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 10/609,168 filed Jun. 27,2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,151,525, which claims the benefit of U.S.application Ser. No. 09/993,260 filed Nov. 14, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No.6,756,968, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No.60/248,472 filed Nov. 14, 2000, all of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a human-computer interface for dataentry, and more particularly, to a device that is ergonomically designedwith reference to the architecture and functions of the human hand,wrist, and arm for generating data signals and/or providing data inputto a computing device.

Due to the proliferation and availability of computer systems, there hasbeen a dynamic growth in the use of keyboard devices. The term “computersystems” is used generically to refer to any microprocessor based devicehaving a hand or finger operated data entry system, including, forexample, PC's, PDA's, cellular phones, McIntosh, Palm Pilots®, Sony®Play Station, Nintendo® Game Boys® or Game Stations, Microsoft® Xbox orother video game stations. People of all ages and abilities regularlyuse computer systems and other portable devices that respond to datasignals for relatively long periods of time. Consequently, it isbecoming increasingly important that a device accommodate extendedperiods of usage taking into account the desirability of fast andefficient date entry. Prior art devices in general demand considerablemanual and digital dexterity to operate, making them relativelydifficult for extended usage and a portion of the population to utilizeefficiently and effectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Miniaturization of conventional keyboards has been a difficult taskbecause of the need to accommodate human fingers. One exemplaryembodiment of the invention described herein allows for easyminiaturization and requires the use of only one finger, such as thethumb, of each hand, to operate the apparatus. For example, an exemplaryembodiment of a thumb controlled mechanism disclosed herein can beimplemented as a pair of thumb-operated elements on the face ofcomputing devices such as a Palm Pilot® or Game Boy® hand-held units,for example. Further, since various embodiments of the present inventioncontain no unitary “keys” requiring independent movement, it is possibleto make the apparatus completely sealed for weatherproofing so that theyare hostile-environment ready. Their design allows for total enclosureand therefore protection from water, dirt, dust, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a keyboard illustrating one exemplaryembodiment using two domes shaped to fit the natural shape of the handsat rest.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the keyboard of FIG. 1, illustrating the generalshape of the keyboard.

FIG. 2A is a perspective exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of atop half and a bottom half of the keyboard housing of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 2B is a perspective bottom view of an exemplary upper directorplate.

FIG. 2C illustrates a plan view of an exemplary spring in accordancewith aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a portion of the keyboard of FIG. 1illustrating an exemplary arrangement of components forming theunderlying structure.

FIG. 3A is a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a kinematic mapplate coupled with an upper director plate of the keyboard of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3B illustrates a perspective bottom view of the kinematic map plateof FIG. 3A.

FIG. 3C illustrates a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a spidermechanism show in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3D illustrates a side view of the spider mechanism of FIG. 3C.

FIG. 3E illustrates a front view of an exemplary ramping or cammingmechanism in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary pair of character definition rings forthe keyboard.

FIGS. 5 and 5A illustrate in cross-section details and broken away froma housing an exemplary embodiment of a control assembly in tworespective positions in accordance with aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an underside of one dome.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus that may behand-held in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate cross-section and exploded views, respectively,of the apparatus of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9A illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of anapparatus that may be hand-held in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9B illustrates a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 9Awith a different shaped housing.

FIG. 9C illustrates front view of an exemplary controller of theapparatus of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9D illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment ofan apparatus that may be hand-held in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9E illustrates another exemplary embodiment of an apparatus thatmay be hand-held in accordance with aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 9F illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment ofan assemblage that may be used with various embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the dome plate of FIG.10.

FIG. 12 illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary embodimentof a director plate shown in FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a keyboard layout inaccordance with aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates another embodiment of the keyboard layout of FIG.13.

FIG. 15 illustrates a side perspective view of a handheld embodiment ofthe invention.

FIG. 16 illustrates a top perspective view of the handheld embodiment ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 17 illustrates top perspective view of the handheld embodiment ofFIG. 15.

FIG. 18 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the handheld embodimentof FIG. 15.

FIGS. 19 and 20 are exploded perspective views of the handheldembodiment of FIG. 15.

FIGS. 21-24 illustrate exemplary embodiments of thumb controllers.

FIGS. 25-27 illustrate exemplary embodiments of alphanumeric characterlayouts.

FIGS. 28-30 illustrate exemplary schematics associated with a linearregression model.

FIG. 31 illustrates a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of anapparatus that may be hand-held in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view of the handheld embodiment ofFIG. 31.

FIGS. 33-34 illustrate exemplary embodiments of alphanumeric characterlayouts.

FIGS. 35-36 illustrate exemplary embodiments of handheld gaming,computing, or communications devices with integrated thumb controllersand alphanumeric character layouts in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention.

FIG. 37 illustrates a plan view of exemplary alphanumeric characterlayouts.

FIG. 37 a illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a thumb controllerincluding a central button capable of being depressed or moved in anangular fashion, surrounded by a plurality of switches located under acorresponding plurality of individual keys each capable of beingdepressed and of causing the corresponding individual switch to bedepressed.

FIGS. 37 b-37 c illustrate exemplary embodiments of an alphanumericcharacter layout in accordance with the present invention.

FIGS. 38 a-38 c illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a self-containedprocessing unit, connected via wired or wireless means to a computing,communications, or video game console device, and also connected viawired or wireless means to a handheld device such as a video gamecontroller.

FIG. 38 d illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a handheld device suchas a video game controller connected wired or wireless means to acomputing, communications, or video game console device.

FIG. 39 illustrates a partial view of an exemplary embodiment of analphanumeric character layout in accordance with the present inventiondelivered through a user interface display that is programmaticallycontrolled.

FIG. 40 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of an alphanumeric characterlayout in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is indicated generally by thereference numeral 10 an ergonomically designed interface apparatus forentering data or information by a human operator to a suitableelectronic system (not shown) such as a computer. The couplingarrangement between apparatus or keyboard 10 and a conventionalcomputer, which entails an electronic device coupled with an electronicalphanumeric device, is well known to those skilled in the art and maybe a communication link using a cable, infrared, radiotransmitter/receiver or other suitable means.

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, keyboard 10 maytake on a sculpted form that is intended to complement closely thetypical palmar architecture of the human hand at rest. Accordingly,keyboard 10 may have bilateral symmetry, which can be seen in FIG. 2,with a left-hand device or controller 102, which conforms to a user'sleft hand, and a right-hand device or controller 104, which conforms tothe user's right hand. In one exemplary embodiment, various hand-shapeddomes or undulations may be formed in each device 102, 104 to aid inpositioning and improving comfort. Devices 102, 104 may be operativelysecured to a housing 28 and these structures may be formed of moldedplastic.

For simplification, the structure and operation of the interfacekeyboard 10 is described hereinafter primarily with reference toright-hand input device 104, it being understood that device 102 may bestructurally and operatively identical with certain exceptions describedherein in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Keyboard 10may include a housing 28 formed with a top half 29 and a bottom half 31as more clearly shown in FIG. 2A. Housing 28 may be formed with curvedsidewalls 294 and a curved proximate edge 296. The bottom half 31 ofhousing 28 may include a pair of shallow recesses 33 that aredimensioned to receive a lower portion of a base plate attached beneathrespective controllers or domes 102, 104 as more fully described below.The top half 29 of housing 28 may include two openings 35 dimensioned toreceive the base plate and allow the underside peripheral edges 37 of anupper director plate 135, shown in FIG. 2B, to rest on respectiveannular rims 36. One exemplary embodiment allows for the openings 35 tobe formed so that annular rims 36 slant downwardly and away from eachother with bilateral symmetry toward respective sidewalls 294. In thisrespect, the peripheral edges of openings 35 closest to the middle ofthe top half 29 of housing 28 are higher than those peripheral edgesclosest to the sidewalls 294. This allows for the domes 102, 104 toergonomically conform to the position of a user's hands and arms whenthey are substantially at rest on the domes 102, 104.

One aspect of the present invention provides a means for selecting areference or “resident North” direction for each respective dome 102,104 so that an end user may select the “resident North” direction foreach dome to accommodate that end user's needs or preferences. The“resident North” or reference direction may be the easiest direction foran end user to move a respective dome, for example, when the user'shands are placed on the domes. Each dome 102, 104 may be moved indifferent directions into its “resident North” position as selected bythe end user. The upper director plate 135 may move in response tomovement of a respective dome 102, 104 into its respective “residentNorth” position, which may correspondingly translate an actuationarmature, as more fully described below. The means for selecting mayinclude opposing sets of teeth 38 on the underside of upper directorplate 135 that may matingly engage respective ones of opposing sets ofrecesses 39 formed within annular rims 36. In this respect,corresponding ones of the teeth 38 and recesses 39 may be engaged whenthe respective upper director plates 135 are attached to the top half 29of housing 28 in a “resident North” position selected by the user. Thismeans for selecting is advantageous in that it provides one degree offreedom for individual users to independently adjust the direction forsliding each dome, when attached to respective upper director plates135, into a “resident North” position. This degree of freedomaccommodates a user's particular hands and arms positions for slidingthe respective domes. Alternate means will be recognized by thoseskilled in the art.

One aspect of the present invention allows for a second degree offreedom with respect to a user's sliding or movement of respective domes102, 104. Referencing FIGS. 3 and 6, means is provided for adjusting therotational position of each dome relative to respective kinematic mapplates 127 so that an end user may select the position of a domerelative to directions that the dome may be moved. This means foradjusting may include a plurality of gear teeth 112 formed within theunderside of respective domes 102, 104 that matingly engage withcorresponding gear teeth 125 formed on an upper surface of respectivekinematic map plates 127. In this respect, a user may adjust therotational alignment of each dome with respect to the directions a domemay be moved to generate a data signal. This accommodates thatparticular user's palmer architecture and/or arm alignment forpositioning their hand on a respective dome 102, 104 for sliding thatdome into various compass positions, such as the “resident North”position, as more fully described below. This combination of selecting a“resident North” direction and selecting a rotational positioning ofrespective domes 102, 104 provides an ergonomic benefit to end users.

In an exemplary embodiment suitable for hostile environments, keyboard10 may be completely sealed and airtight. This may be accomplished byattaching one edge of a rubberized expandable gasket (not shown) aroundthe lower edge of respective domes 102, 104 and the other edge of thegasket to a top surface of housing 28. The gasket may be sufficientlyflexible to enable the working of the domes and may be accomplished byusing an accordion pleated gasket, for example.

With reference to FIG. 5 and dome 104 (not shown), one exemplaryembodiment allows for dome 104 to be coupled with housing 28 via aridged annulus 106 that includes a raised upper end 108. It will berecognized that the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 5A may form aunitary control assembly that may be removably coupled with the housing28 so that respective domes 102, 104 may be removed from the housing 28and used together or independently. The underside of dome 104 may fitover the raised upper end 108 to couple the dome with the annulus. Inone exemplary embodiment the raised upper end 108 may include aplurality of circumferentially disposed teeth (not shown) that matinglyengage an inside inverse receptacle pattern of teeth 112 (see FIG. 6) onthe underside 114 of dome 104. A top cover plate 105 may fit over ashaft or central post 142 and be held in place by a retaining ring 103(shown in FIG. 3) snapped into a circumferential groove formed in theupper end of the central post 142. As shown in FIG. 5, a biasing meanssuch as a spring 111 may be positioned between the underside of theannulus 106 and an upper surface of an upper director plate 124. Thisallows for the annulus 106 and consequently an exemplary kinematic mapplate 126 and a spider mechanism 130, an exemplary embodiment of whichis more clearly shown in FIGS. 3C and 3D, to be depressed and releasedin response to vertical displacement of the dome 104 when attached tothe annulus 106. Spring 111 may function as a means for biasing thespider mechanism 130 against the kinematic map plate 126. In thisrespect, when the dome 104 is depressed, apertures 113 formed in annulus106 may receive therein corresponding posts 115 of an exemplaryembodiment of an actuator armature 110 as shown in FIG. 5A. As dome 104is depressed, a spider mechanism 130 may rotate so that the respectiveposts 131 of spider mechanism 130 disengage from a plurality ofimpressions 128 formed in the underside of the kinematic map plate 126.Means for allowing dome 104 to move freely within 360° may be provided.This means may cause the spider mechanism 130 to disengage from theimpressions 128 and in one exemplary embodiment may include a ramp orgear arrangement 107 fit over the central post 142. In this respect,depressing and releasing dome 104 once may cause the spider mechanism130 to rotate approximately 45° so that when the dome 104 is releasedthe posts 131 may impinged the underside of the kinematic map plate 126at locations so they are not engaged within the impressions 128.Depressing and releasing dome 104 again may cause the spider mechanismto rotate approximately 45° so that the tips of posts 131 re-engagerespective impressions 128 on the underside of the kinematic map plate126 for guiding movement of the dome. As the dome 104 is depressed andreleased the spider mechanism 130 may impinge on switch button 120 toswitch the functioning of that dome between a “mouse” mode and a“keyboard” mode as more fully described below.

A tension parameter associated with the sliding motion of the dome 104may be modified in the actuator armature 110 with the use of a biasingmeans such as a spring 116 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A. Spring 116 may besnapped or fitted into a hole 118 formed centrally within the base ofthe armature 110 as more clearly shown in another exemplary embodimentof the present invention shown in FIG. 3. The spring 116 may include acentrally located recess or receptacle that fits over and retains thespring 116 on a position sensing means 122. In this respect, as theactuator armature 110 moves in response to the movement of the dome 104,the spring 116 will exert pressure on the position sensing means 122. Itwill be appreciated that the installation of a heavier biasing means orspring may increase the tension associated with moving actuator armature110 and consequently with the sliding of dome 104. In this respect,increasing or decreasing the tension in spring 116 will not lead to achange in force required to activate the position sensing means 122. Oneexemplary embodiment allows for the spring 116 to be a coil spring asshown in FIG. 3. Another exemplary embodiment allows for the spring 116to be formed as multi-legged spring that may be molded in whole or inpart from the commercially available plastic Derlin®, or a composite ofDerlin®, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene (Teflon®)and/or other suitable alloys or polymers. FIG. 2C shows an exemplaryspring 116 having eight curvilinear legs 117 symmetrically disposed in awheel-spoke fashion. This eight-legged spring may exert tangential andcompression forces to the position sensing means 122 that correlateone-to-one to the eight motions of a dome guided by the flower petalarrangement or impressions 128. In this respect, respective groups ofthree legs 117 may operate on the position sensing means 122 when arespective dome 102, 104 is moved into one of the eight positionsdefined by impressions 128. These positions and corresponding legs 117may be referred to as points on a compass. For example, when arespective dome 102, 104 is moved into its “resident North” position,which may be selected by the end user, leg 119 may exert a compressionforce on position sensing means 122 and respective legs 117 adjacent toleg 119 may exert tangential forces on the position sensing means 122.The resultant force exerted by these legs on the position sensing means122 provides an accurate indication of the movement and position of therespective dome 102, 104. It will be recognized by those skilled in theart that spring 116 may include more or less than eight legs 117 as afunction of the number of positions that a respective dome may be moved,the sensitivity of the material from which the spring 116 is formedand/or the stiffness of each leg 117, for example. In one exemplaryembodiment the position sensing means 122 may be a transducer or straingauge such as one known commercially as a PixiPoint from Semtech or apointer stick device such as the TrackPoint device from IBM. When spring116 exerts a force on the position sensing means 122 indicative of achange in position of the dome 104, for example, a corresponding datasignal may be transmitted to a processing means such as a controlprocessor or circuit board of the keyboard 10 indicative of the dome'sposition. Alternate embodiments may be configured so that the positionsensing means 122 generates the data signal in response to pressureinduced on means 122 without the necessity of controller or dome 104being physically translated. In this aspect, dome 104 may be directlycoupled with means 122 so that the data signal is generated in responseto pressure exerted on means 122 caused by a user exerting acorresponding pressure on dome 104. This aspect may also be used withvarious embodiments of the present invention configured to control theoperation of hand held computing devices more fully described below.

Referencing FIG. 5, when a user's hand is positioned on top of dome 104to slide it when coupled with housing 28, the dome's movement in ahorizontal plane substantially perpendicular to central post 142 willcause a corresponding movement of the annulus 106. This can be seen tocause a corresponding motion in the actuator armature 110, which ismounted on the position sensing means 122 via spring 116 below anexemplary upper director plate 124. Actuator armature 110 may form partof a transducer structure, which is coupled to the position sensingmeans 122. Position sensing means 122 or means for sensing movement ofdome 104 may be affixed to a bottom portion 298 of a base plate 299. Inone exemplary embodiment, the kinematic map plate 126 may be disposedbeneath the annulus 106 as shown in FIG. 5. The underside of thekinematic map plate 126 may contain a plurality of impressions 128. Eachimpression 128 may include eight symmetrically arranged grooves, forexample, that resemble flower petals as best shown in the bottom view ofan alternate embodiment of a kinematic map plate 127 shown in FIG. 3B.In one exemplary embodiment, the underside of the kinematic map plate126 includes four flower-petal shaped impressions 128 arranged as shownin FIG. 3B. The kinematic map plate 126 may be disposed above the spidermechanism 130 so that when the spider mechanism 130 is engaged with thekinematic map plate 126 each of the four impressions 128 may matinglyengage respective ones of the four posts 131 of the spider mechanism130. In this respect, the four posts 131 may mate to a centerindentation of each of the impressions 128 when the dome 104 is at itscenter resting location or in its neutral position. Spring 111 acts as ameans for biasing the spider mechanism 130 against the kinematic mapplate 126 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A. The centerindentation may be slightly deeper than the flower petal impressions toprovide tactile feedback to a user that dome 104 is in its neutralposition.

In one exemplary embodiment, the eight flower petal-shaped impressions128 define the possible planar movements of the dome 104. In thisrespect, when dome 104 is moved linearly or laterally from a centerresting location in a plane perpendicular to central post 142, acorresponding displacement is induced in the kinematic map plate 126. Itwill be recognized by those skilled in the art that in alternateembodiments dome 104 may be moved in a plane oblique to central post142. The flower petal shaped impressions 128 may function as a guidewhen mated with the spider mechanism 130 such that the motions of thedome 104 are restricted to the motions allowed for by the impressions128. An alternate embodiment of the impressions 128 allows them to beshallower so that a user may disengage the dome 104 from the kinematicmap plate 126 for moving the dome 104 in a “mouse” mode as more fullydescribed below. The impressions 128 may engage and move along or beguided by the statically located spider tips 131. This provides guidanceof the domes 104 into one of eight respective positions, for example, asdefined by the impressions 128. The linear displacement of kinematic mapplate 126 may only be induced to the extent of the spider posts or tips131 reaching a point 132 defined by the end of each groove of theimpressions 128. Thus, each of the points 132 creates a “stop” tokinematic map plate 126 movement. The extent of the displacement ofkinematic map plate 126 needed to reach one of these “stops” defines thepoint at which the position sensing means 122 may output a locationsignal indicating a respective position of dome 104. Alternateembodiments allow for the eight-position impressions 128 to be replacedwith an aperture having from zero to twelve points 132, for example, andmay vary in size as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.Since the transduction of linear displacement into a location signal issoftware controlled, there is virtually unlimited flexibility inherentin this system.

One exemplary embodiment allows for the kinematic map plate 126 totranslate in relation to the upper director plate 124 in both thevertical and horizontal directions. Referencing FIGS. 5 and 5A, verticaltranslation of the kinematic map plate 126 allows for activation of aswitch button 120 via spider mechanism 130. Switch button 120 may allowfor switching a respective dome 102 and/or 104 between a “mouse” modeand a “keyboard” mode, for example, or to generate other signals ofoperation. Movement of dome 104 in the horizontal direction may allowfor typing alphanumeric characters when the dome 104 is in the“keyboard” mode and for controlling a cursor when dome 104 is in the“mouse” mode. The switch button 120 may be affixed atop the upperdirector plate 124 and immediately beneath the spider mechanism 130 butnot in contact with the bottom of the spider mechanism 130. Whenkinematic plate 126 is depressed via dome 104 being pushed downward,spider mechanism 130 may move downwardly, which in turn may depressbutton 120 mounted on top of upper director plate 124. Button 120 may inturn register activation of the “mouse” or “keyboard” mode. When thespider mechanism 130 activates the “mouse” mode and dome 104 isreleased, the posts 131 of spider mechanism 130 do not engage theimpressions 128 formed on the underside of the kinematic map plate 126so that the dome 104 may move freely in all directions to controlmovement of a cursor. When dome 104 is depressed and released again,switch 120 may activate the “keyboard” mode and the posts 131 re-engagethe impressions 128 so that the dome 104 may be used to generatealphanumeric and other characters in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention. In one exemplary embodiment, dome 104 may be used toswitch between “mouse” and “keyboard” modes and dome 102 may be used,without the rotation of spider mechanism 130, such that a singledepression of a switch button 120 may output a signal to a controlprocessor to activate the “shift” function, a single click (depress thenrelease) activation may enable the “shift lock” function and a doubleclick may activate the “num lock” function. With a single input deviceembodiment such as a one handed of hand-held device, for example, aswitching means, such as switch button 120, may permit the user to“chord” two location signals from one input device to create akeystroke, as more fully described below.

Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.3. In this respect, the annulus 106 and the kinematic map plate 126shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A may be formed as unitary piece or kinematic mapplate 127 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A. It will be recognized that theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 may form a unitary control assembly thatmay be removably coupled with the housing 28 so that respective domes102, 104 may be removed from the housing 28 and used together orindependently. FIG. 3A shows a bottom perspective view of the exemplaryembodiment of the kinematic map plate 127 shown in FIG. 3. Kinematic mapplate 127 may include a plurality of impressions 128 formed on itsbottom surface and in one embodiment four symmetrically arrangedimpressions 128 are formed therein. Kinematic map plate 127 may alsoinclude a plurality of posts 129 that may pass through correspondingapertures 133 of an upper director plate 135 and fit within a pluralityof corresponding receptacles 137 formed on an actuator armature 139.Each post may have a spring (not shown) inserted there over so that whenthe posts 129 are fit within respective receptacles 137 a biasingrelationship is established so that the kinematic map plate 127 may bevertically translated between an up or at rest position and a down ordepressed position via the dome 104, for example. Dome 104 may matinglyengage the kinematic map plate 127 by inserting its teeth 112, shown inFIG. 6, over the circumferential teeth 125 formed on the upper side ofthe plate 127.

The embodiment of FIG. 3 may include a switch 85 that may be toggledbetween a “mouse” mode and a “keyboard” mode in the following manner.This may be performed by either dome. A ramping or camming mechanism 86may be inserted within the center aperture of spider mechanism 130 sothat a plurality of camming protuberances 88 within the spider's centeraperture engage respective camming surfaces or ramps 89 formed in thecamming mechanism 86. FIG. 3E shows a front view of camming mechanism86. The bottom of camming mechanism 86 may rest on a center portion 90of the upper director plate 135 so that the central post 142 may beinserted through a center aperture of the camming mechanism 86 when theembodiment of FIG. 3 is assembled. The upper director plate 135 mayinclude two spring-loaded posts 91 that engage corresponding apertures92 formed in the spider mechanism 130 so that the spider mechanism 130is biased upwardly when placed over the posts 91. Switch 85 may beaffixed to the base of upper director plate 135 so that when the cammingmechanism 86 rests on the center portion 90 respective switch activators93 affixed to the bottom of camming mechanism 86 may toggle switch 85between a “mouse” mode and a “keyboard” mode when camming mechanism 86is rotated about the central post 142. In this respect, when theembodiment of FIG. 3 is assembled, a downward or vertical displacementof dome 104, for example, will cause the camming protuberances 88 toengage the camming surfaces 89 and cause the camming mechanism 86 torotate about the central post 142.

As can be appreciated from the camming surfaces 89 configuration shownin FIG. 3E, the rotation of the camming mechanism 86 will cause thespider mechanism 130 to move between a lower position and a releasedposition. The spider mechanism 130 will be retained in its lowerposition via the camming protuberances 88 being captured at respectivepoints 94 of the camming surfaces 89 and due to the upward bias createdon the spider mechanism 130 by the spring loaded posts 91. When thecamming mechanism 86 is rotated into its lower position, a switchactivator 93 may engage switch 85 thereby switching the dome 104 into a“mouse” mode. In this mode, the spider mechanism 130 is retained belowthe kinematic map plate 127 so that dome 104 may move freely in alldirections to control a cursor. When the dome 104 is depressed andreleased again, the camming mechanism 86 rotates so that the cammingprotuberances 88 follow the camming surfaces 89 into upper channels 95.This allows the upward bias on the spider mechanism 130 to re-engage thetips of the spider posts 131 with the impressions 128 formed on theunderside of the kinematic map plate 127. In this position, the switchactivator 93 will disengage from the switch 85 so that the dome 104 isin the “keyboard” mode to generate alphanumeric and other characters inaccordance with aspects of the present invention. FIG. 3 alsoillustrates an exemplary guide plate 96 that fits over an exemplaryactuator armature 97. A receptacle 98 may be affixed within a base plate83 that allows for each control assembly or “pod” to be removed from thehousing 28 and placed in various locations to accommodate a user's needssuch as being coupled to respective arms of a wheelchair, for example.It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various housingsmay be used so that respective domes 102, 104 may be separated from eachother and independently secured at different locations, for example, toaccommodate a specific end user's needs.

Referring to FIG. 4, a character definition ring 138 may be providedwith the right-hand input device 104 with indicia that, when used eitheralone or in concert with a character definition ring 140 on theleft-hand input device 102, may provide a correspondence betweendome-attitude or position and the keystroke generated. Each ring 138,140 may overlay respective domes 102, 104 on keyboard 10 shown inFIG. 1. It will be understood that these rings may also be used with theexemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 10. In one exemplary embodiment, eachcharacter definition ring 138, 140 may be segmented into eight radialsectors that correspond to the eight flower-petal points 132 ofimpression 128 or 346. In this respect, character definition ring 140may include eight radial sectors 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 and 54 whereeach sector may be color coded or otherwise patterned to correspond witha color-coding or patterning of character definition ring 138. Ring 138may include eight radially extending rows containing indicia ofalphanumeric characters and/or keyboard functions where each radiallyextending row corresponds with one of the eight flower-petal points 132.Each character and/or function within a radially extending row may alsolie in one of a plurality of concentric rings such as five concentricrings 144, 146, 148, 150 and 152, for example, that may be color codedor patterned to correspond with the color-coding or patterning of theradial sectors of character definition ring 140 to aid a user ingenerating a keystroke. In one exemplary embodiment there may be eightconcentric rings on ring 138 where each ring is color coded tocorrespond to one of the eight radial sectors 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53and 54 on character definition ring 140. With this combination ofcolor-coding and indicia on rings 138, 140 two motions may be used tocreate a single keystroke for generating an alphanumeric character orperforming a keyboard function, for example. This is in contrast to aconventional keyboard, which requires the hands to be in an offsetrelationship with respect to the arm in the normal operation of thekeyboard. By using one of various embodiments of the present invention,it is possible to minimize, if not completely eliminate, the strain andstress on the wrist and interconnecting musculoskeletal portions of thewrist, arm, and hands. Additionally, one can anticipate that learningthe circular key layout, as well as the dome manipulation technique,will become easier and that accuracy will increase over time. When thedual input device embodiment is utilized using domes 102, 104 datasignals may be generated to produce a keystroke or alphanumericcharacter in at least one of two ways: using a single dome to access oneof eight keystrokes available from each device, in response to movementof a dome along impression 128 for example, or using a chordal motion.In “chording” a combination of two signals, one from each device 102,104 may be translated into a single signal having a uniquecorrespondence with one of a set of keystroke signals. A processingmodule may be configured with firmware and/or software for interpretingthe data signals and translating them into associated alphanumericcharacters, for example. It will be recognized by one skilled in the artthat the processing module may be programmed with respect to characterlocation and definition to allow a user to create special sets ofcharacters or direct digital control signals as needed.

The generation of data signals for producing keystroke signals will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4. The method of generating sucha data signal may be achieved by using devices 102, 104 sequentially orsimultaneously, that is, by “chording”. Sliding dome 102 into one of theeight colored sectors of the character definition or selector ring 140provides half of the “chord” needed to output a keystroke signal andindicates to the user in a color-coded or patterned fashion which set ofcharacters of the correspondingly colored or patterned concentric ringon the character definition or selector ring 138 are accessible or ableto be produced. For example, if the color red indicated by the redsector (cross-hatched) 53 of character selector ring 140 in FIG. 4 ischosen with the left-hand dome 102, the set of characters 142 shown inthe red concentric ring (cross-hatched) 143 on the right hand dome isenabled. Reversing the order of the motions may produce the samecharacter. However, it will be recognized by those skilled in the artthat reversing the order of dome movement may produce a differentcharacter and/or keyboard function if desired. It will be appreciatedthat in the exemplary embodiment having eight sectors on ring 140 andeight concentric circles on ring 138 (only five are shown in FIG. 4 forease of illustration) there are 64 unique keystrokes available and up to128 when the “shift” function, for example, is enabled. Alternateembodiments allow for keystrokes to be generated by a using a singledome 102, 104 simply by sliding only one dome 102, 104 into a flowerpetal point 132 leaving the other dome in its “home” position. Theposition sensing means 122 may generate data signals in response tomovement of the domes 102 and/or 104, as discussed above, that may betransmitted to a control-processing module, which may transmit arespective data signal to a computing device for producing theassociated keystroke.

One advantage of this design is that it enables a user to utilize thekeyboard 10 with less precision with one hand than the other. In thisrespect, if a user has less dexterity, etc. in their left hand relativeto their right then the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 allows the userto slide the left hand dome 102 only once into one radial position ofring 140 and be able to generate eight characters within thecorresponding concentric ring of ring 138 with their right hand. Variousembodiments of the present invention may allow for either sequential orsimultaneous movements of the domes 102, 104 for character generation.It can further be seen that character definition (which may be firmwareand/or software controlled) could take into account the user's left orright-handedness by placing those characters that are most often used inpositions requiring, for instance, less precision with the left handthan with the right hand. Using a character definition ring 140 witheight radial sectors and a character definition ring 138 with eightcorresponding concentric rings and eight radial rows of charactersallows for 64 unique keystrokes. One exemplary embodiment allows foractivating the switch 120, which may double this number to 128 and inthis respect the indicia present on character definition rings 138 and140 may also comprise a second symbol set indicative of the keystrokesthat would be generated with the keyboard 10 placed in the “shift” mode,for example. In one exemplary embodiment, chording to type a capitalletter may be accomplished by two sequential or simultaneous linearmotions of the domes 102, 104 and may also involve the switch button120. For example, to generate a data signal indicative of the capitalletter “E”, dome 102 may be linearly moved into the hatched sector 49located on the selector ring 140 while depressing that dome to activatethe switch button 120 without releasing the vertical pressure on theswitch 120. Dome 104 may then be moved left or to the “west” toward theletter “e” that is located in the hatched concentric circle 146 to“type” the capital letter “E”.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is shown a perspective view of an alternateembodiment of the present invention, which may be a hand-held device 159in which the domes or palm controls 102, 104 may be implemented in theform of thumb controllers 160, 162. This type of keyboard 10 maytypically be used with a hand-held computing device such as PC, PalmPilot® or Game Boy®, for example, to allow the user to hold the devicein two hands and use a thumb of each hand to control the respectivethumb controllers 160, 162. The structure underlying the thumbcontrollers can be a miniaturized version of various embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 9 is an exploded view of oneexemplary embodiment of the thumb control used in the embodiment of FIG.7. In FIG. 9, it can be seen that the exposed thumb control 160 mayextend through a top housing section 164 and interface with a switchingdevice 166. The switching device 166 may have actuation switchesattached to allow sensing of depressing of the switch 166 in a mannersimilar to that with regard to switch 120 of FIGS. 5 and 5A or switch334 of FIG. 10. A position sensing means such as a strain gauge pressureswitch 168 may fit within a recess 170 in a lower flexible plate 172.The plate 172 may fit against a bottom portion of the switch 166 andsenses lateral movement of the switch 166. The strain gauge 168 may be acommercially available type such as those used for controlling thecursor movement in some laptop computers, for example, as mentionedabove in reference to position sensing means 122. When the flexibleplate 172 rocks in response to movement of the thumb control 160, thesensor may register and send electric signals to a logic board thatdetects the direction in which the plate 172 is being moved. Thepreviously described flower petal pattern 128, 346 may be impressed intothe upper housing 164 at one or more locations 165. These impressionsmay be engaged by respective nubs 167 to provide a guiding mechanism forthe thumb control 160. This may enable the thumb controller 160 to beguided into eight locations defined by the flower-petal impressions, forexample, for generating a data signal to implement a charactergeneration sequence in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention. Alternate aspects of this exemplary embodiment allow forgenerating data signals for a wide range of applications such ascontrolling the operation of a hand-held computing device such as anelectronic game, for example.

Another exemplary embodiment of hand-held device 159 is shown in FIG. 9Athat may include a top housing 200 and a bottom housing 202 that mayhouse first and second controllers 204, 206. The underside of tophousing 200 may include respective flower-petal impressions 208 that mayengage respective nubs 210 affixed to the upper side of a respectivecontroller base piece 212 for guiding the respective controllers among aplurality of positions in accordance with aspects of the presentinvention. The top housing 200 and controller base piece 212 may beformed to matingly engage when device 159 is assembled, and in oneexemplary embodiment the top housing 200 may be formed with acurvilinear or hemispherical surface that engages the base piece 212formed with matching curvilinear or hemispherical surfaces asillustrated in FIG. 9B. Device 159 may be formed in other shapes such asa disk as shown in FIG. 9A. Controllers 204, 206 may operatively engagerespective sensing means 214, via respective shafts 216, mounted on abase plate 215. Sensing means 214 may be a commercially availabledevice, such as a “joystick” assemblage for example, having appropriatesensing means for detecting movement in accordance with aspects of thepresent invention. The underside of controllers 204, 206 may include acentrally aligned recess for receiving respective shafts 216 so thatshafts 216 move in response to movement or “rocking” of the controllers.Sensing means 214 may include a pair of potentiometers for registeringmovement of respective controllers 204, 206 and send electronic datasignals to a logic board for generating data signals in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention. Sensing means 214 may alsoinclude an internally located switch (not shown) situated beneath shaft216 that may be activated and deactivated by depressing a respectivecontroller 204, 206. The switch may be configured to change the controllogic of device 159 so that it switches between modes in accordance withvarious aspects of the present invention. For example, this switch maycause device 159 to switch among the “Num Lock”, “Caps Lock” and “Shift”modes, for example. FIG. 9B illustrates top housing 200 positioned awayfrom the respective controllers 204, 206 for ease of illustration. Whendevice 159 is assembled, the impressions 208 may engage respective nubs210 as best shown in FIG. 9C.

FIG. 9D illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a controlarrangement of device 159 that may include a bottom housing 219 and acontroller 220 situated within a top housing 222 so that controller 220may be moved from a home or neutral position in a plurality ofdirections radially extending from the home position, that may bedefined by a flower-petal impression 230, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention. It will be appreciated that FIG. 9Dillustrates one control arrangement and that device 159 may include afunctionally equivalent second control arrangement not shown. Controller220 may include a centrally located recess 224 for receiving ball 226positioned on top of shaft 228 that is operatively extending fromsensing means 214, described above, mounted to the bottom housing 219.The underside of controller 220 may include a flower-petal impression230 that engages a ball bearing 338 affixed to the top of aspring-loaded ball plunger 336 affixed to the bottom housing 219. Theunderside of controller 220 may also include a concave recess 232 thatengages a ball bearing 338 affixed to the top of a spring-loaded ballplunger 336, which may include a snap ring arrangement as describedabove, affixed to the bottom housing 219. In this respect, controller220 may slide within a substantially planar surface among the homeposition and the radially extending positions defined by impressions 230so that sensing means 214 detects the position of the controller 220 andgenerates a data signal that may be indicative an alphanumericcharacter, for example, in accordance with aspects of the presentinvention. Controller 220 may also be depressed to activate anddeactivate a switch within the sensing means 214 to cause device 159 toshift between various modes as described above. A pair of frictionreduction nubs 234 may be affixed to the controller 220 so they engagethe underside of top housing 222.

FIG. 9E illustrates another exemplary embodiment of device 159 that mayinclude a bottom housing 240 and a controller 242 situated within a tophousing 244 so that controller 220 be moved in a plurality of directionswithin a substantially planar surface of the top housing 244. It will beappreciated that FIG. 9E illustrates one control arrangement and thatdevice 159 may include a functionally equivalent second controlarrangement not shown. Controller 242 may have an insertion 246 housedtherein that receives a ball 258 when top housing 244 and bottom housing240 are assembled. One exemplary embodiment allows for the insertion tobe formed as a cube or have at least one flat surface that abuts acorresponding flat surface formed on an inside surface of centrallylocated collar portion 250 of the controller 242 to prevent theinsertion 246 from rotating when controller 242 is be used. Insertion246 may include a hemispherical inner surface 252 within which aplurality of impressions, such as flower-petal impressions 254, may beformed therein. In this respect, the flower-petal impressions 254 may beformed within the curvilinear surface of the hemispherical inner surface252 and may engage a guide knob 256 formed on top of a guide ball 258.The top housing 244 is shown broken away from bottom housing 240 forease of illustration it being understood that when device 159 of FIG. 9Eis assembled the guide knob 256 and ball 258 may fit within theflower-petal impressions 254 for guiding the controller 242 among thedirections defined by the flower-petal impressions 254 and for causingthe guide ball 258 to move in a direction corresponding to movement ofthe controller 242. Guide ball 258 may be attached to a shaft 260extending from a sensing means 214, described above, affixed to thebottom housing 240. As the controller 242 is moved the correspondingmovement of guide ball 258 and consequently shaft 260 may cause thesensing means 214 to generate data signals indicative of thecontroller's 242 direction of movement.

One exemplary embodiment of the device 159 shown in FIG. 9E allows for abiasing means, such as a compression spring, to be inserted within thecollar portion 250 of controller 242 prior to placing insertion 246therein to create a downward bias on the insertion 246 so that it ismaintained in engagement with guide knob 256 and guide ball 258 whendevice 159 is assembled. A base plate 262 may be affixed to thecontroller 242, such as by gluing, and include a centrally locatedaperture 264 that may align with the collar portion 250 of thecontroller 242 and within which the insertion 246 may be fit. Controller242 and base plate 262 may be substantially circular, for example, orother shapes as will be recognized by those skilled in the art. Theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 9E illustrates the controller 242 and baseplate 262 resting against respective upper and lower surfaces of tophousing 244 via respective friction reduction nubs. An alternateembodiment allows for the controller 242 to be sufficiently raised abovethe upper surface of the top housing 244 when the guide knob 256 andball 258 are engaged with the flower-petal impressions 254 so that thecontroller 242 may be depressed and released to active a switchcontained within the sensing means 214 for switching the device 159between modes in accordance with aspects of the present invention. Inone exemplary embodiment, a circumferential gap 266 may be formed aroundthe collar portion 250 of controller 242 to define a distance thatcontroller 242 may be translated in order to register movement of thecontroller 242. The gap 266 may be sized slightly smaller than thedistance from the peripheral edge of controller 242 to a raised ridge268 that may extend around the perimeter of controller 242. Gap 266provides a user with tactile feedback that controller 242 has been moveda sufficient distance to register its movement. Raised ridge 268 mayfunction as a means to prevent controller 242 from rotating during useor alternate means may be provided.

Another exemplary arrangement of the device 159 of FIG. 9E isillustrated in FIG. 9F and may include controller 242 having a pluralityof extensions 270 extending downwardly from its lower surface. A biasingmeans such as compression spring 272 may be captured at its upper end bythe centrally disposed extension 270 and rest on top of insertion 246when the device 159 is assembled. Insertion 246 may include ridges 274that may impinge corresponding ridges 276 to prevent insertion 246 frompassing through central aperture 264 of the base plate 262 when device159 is assembled or during assembly. Controller 242 may be coupled withbottom housing 240 by means of the exterior extensions 270. Whencontroller 242 and bottom housing 240 are coupled and assembled withindevice 159 the impressions 254 formed within the insertion 246 maymatingly engage the guide knob 256 and guide ball 258 shown in FIG. 9E.It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various aspectsof the exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9F may be adaptedor modified to fit into a wide range of electronic device housings, suchas hand-held electronic game housings for example, and generate datasignals having specific characteristics to operate a specific device orinterface with other devices.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exploded view of another exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention. A top housing 300 may be connected with a bottomhousing 302 to form a housing for an exemplary embodiment of keyboard10. The structure and functionality of the exemplary embodiment of FIG.10 will be described with reference to the right hand side of keyboard10 it being understood that the structure and functionality of the lefthand side may be identical except for those differences describedherein. The left hand side of keyboard 10 is shown with certaincorresponding structure described for the right hand side. A right dome304 is provided that may be shaped to conform to the palmar architectureof a user's right hand substantially at rest. The right dome 304 mayinclude a grooved portion or indentation 306 within which a user mayrest a finger during use such as the pinky or little finger. Dome 304may be attached to a dome plate 308, more clearly shown in FIG. 11, thatmay include a biasing means, such as a plurality of symmetricallydisposed cantilever arms 310, for creating a “spring back” effect whenthe dome 304 is coupled with the top housing 300. This “spring back”effect provides a user with tactile feedback when generating datasignals to a control circuit board 312 as more fully described below.This tactile feedback indicates to a user that dome 304 has beensufficiently depressed to generate a data signal. The underside of eachdistal end of the plurality of cantilever arms 310 may include one ormore protuberances or nubs 309 that may rest against a surface 311 ofthe top housing 300 when the dome 304 is coupled with the top housing300. Nubs 309 may reduce the friction between the distal ends of thecantilever arms 310 and the surface 311 when the dome 304 is moved invarious directions.

A director plate 314 may include a post 316 supported on an arcuatecantilever arm 318 for mating with the dome plate 308 and coupling thedome 304 to the top housing 300. In this respect, the director plate 314may include at least one slot 320 having an offset width for receivingrespective locking tabs 321, shown in FIG. 11, affixed to the undersideof the dome plate 308. Each locking tab 321 may have a flange 323 formedon its distal end that is inserted through the wider portion of acorresponding slot 320, as best shown in FIG. 12, so that when the domeplate 308 is turned relative to the director plate 314 a locking tab 321will slide into the narrower portion of a corresponding slot 320 and theassociated flange 323 will slide underneath the bottom of the directorplate 314. When coupling the dome plate 308 to the director plate 314 inthis manner, the post 316 will impinge the underside of the directorplate 314 when the locking tabs 321 are initially inserted into thewider portion of respective slots 320. In this position, the cantileverarm 318 creates an upward bias so that as the dome plate 308 is turnedrelative to the director plate 314 the upper end of the post 316 willslide along the underside of the director plate 314 and be urgedupwardly into a respective aperture 322 formed in the director plate314. When post 316 snaps into a respective aperture 322 the dome 304 iscoupled with the top housing 300.

A guide plate 324 is provided that may rest on respective guide walls326 that allow for sliding the dome 304 laterally or “east” and “west”when coupled with the top housing 300. Corresponding guide rails (notshown) may be formed on the underside of the guide plate 324 that fitover respective ones of the guide walls 326. A button plunger 328 mayhave a ball bearing 330 affixed centrally on its top when button plunger328 is placed over a corresponding plunger post 332. A compressionspring (not shown) may be inserted within the plunger post 332 forcreating an upward bias on the plunger button 328 so that it may bedepressed and released in response to pressing down and releasing dome304 to activate a switch 334. A pair of ball plungers 336 may beprovided having respective ball bearings affixed to their tops whencoupled with the bottom housing 302. Ball bearings 338 may engage theunderside of the director plate 314 when the keyboard 10 is assembled asmore fully described below. The ball plungers 336 may be placed withinrespective housings 340, each having a compression spring 342 placedtherein for creating an upward bias on the ball plungers 336. One of theball plungers 336 may include a snap retainer 341 and a snap ring 342that may be placed over the respective ball plunger 336 so that aportion of the plunger 336 extends above the top of the snap retainer341 when inserted into housing 340. The snap retainer and ring mayprovide auditory and/or tactile feedback to a user that the dome 304 hasbeen translated a sufficient distance indicating the proximate end of akeystroke in accordance with aspects of the present invention. In thisrespect, referencing FIG. 12, the underside of the director plate 314may include a concave impression 344 that centrally receives the plunger336 having the snap retainer and ring arrangement when the keyboard 10is assembled. Plunger 336 is depressed by the curvature of impression344 in response to movement of dome 304. Plunger 336 may move downwardlya distance that coincides with the dome 304 moving approximately threefourths of its total travel, for example, for generating a data signalat which time the snap retainer and ring will “snap” providing feedbackto the user. The engagement of the concave impression 344 and associatedplunger 336 also help to re-center the dome 304 after generating a datasignal.

Means for guiding dome 304 may be provided as a patterned impression 346formed in the underside of the director plate 314 for receiving theother one of the ball plungers 336. The impression 346 may be aflower-petal arrangement having eight grooves within which respectiveball bearing 338 may be received to guide the dome 304 in a plurality ofdirections for generating alphanumeric characters in accordance withaspects of the present invention. Alternate means for guiding dome 304will be recognized by those skilled in the art such as a similarlypatterned aperture in director plate 314, for example. An aperture 348and associated cylindrical extension 349 may be formed in the directorplate 314 for receiving a guide ball 350 affixed to the top of an armvertically extending from position sensing means 352 when keyboard 10 isassembled. In this respect, guide ball 350 may be situated within thecylindrical extension 349 and consequently move in response to movementof dome 304. Guide ball 350 in turn moves the vertically extending armor shaft that is pivotally connected at its base within the positionsensing means 352. The position sensing means 352 may generate a datasignal to the control circuit board 312 in response to movement of thevertically extending arm indicative of the dome's 304 movement and/orposition. The control circuit board 312 may be programmed to interpretthe data signals received from the position sensing means 352 togenerate a corresponding data signal indicative of an alphanumericcharacter to be produced and/or a keyboard function to be performed. Theunderside of director plate 314 may also include a pair of guide posts354 that fit within respective slots 356 of the guide plate 324 thatallow for guiding the dome 304 in a “north” and “south” direction whenkeyboard 10 is assembled.

FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a keyboard layoutin accordance with aspects of the present invention. One exemplaryembodiment allows for the layout to be based at least in part on anassociation between movements of domes 303, 304, as well as the domes ofother embodiments of the present invention, and the hand-motions thatwould be used on the traditional QWERTY layout. It will be recognized bythose skilled in the art that associations may be made, in accordancewith aspects of the present invention, between exemplary embodiments ofthe present invention and keyboard layouts other than a QWERTY keyboardlayout. For example, aspects of the present invention may be used withany customized and/or user defined alphabet and/or alphanumericcharacter layouts. On a QWERTY keyboard, a 1:1 input to character outputratio is employed in that one character is generated by one key beingpressed. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention allow for a 2:1input to character output ratio such that two inputs, one from eachhand, may be used to generate a data signal to produce one characteroutput. In order to associate the QWERTY layout to exemplary embodimentsof the present layout, movement of domes 303, 304 are based in part onthe kinesthetic feel of typing on the QWERTY keyboard layout. Thisapproach is advantageous in that there is a high correlation ofkinesthetic feel between exemplary embodiments of the present inventionand finger motions associated with using the QWERTY keyboard layout inaccordance with traditional typing methodology. In this respect, thehand and finger motions used to generate characters between therespective layouts are related. This allows users who are familiar withusing a QWERTY keyboard to quickly learn the exemplary layouts disclosedherein, which minimizes training time. Much of the gross kinestheticfeel between the two keyboard layouts is maintained. It also allows theuser to retain this kinesthetic relationship if the user returns tousing the QWERTY layout.

The “home row” keys of a QWERTY keyboard in accordance with traditionaltyping methodology are “a, s, d and f” for fingers of the left hand and“j, k, I and;” for fingers of the right hand. With the exception ofthese “home row” keys, a QWERTY user will move respective fingers in aparticular direction to access all other keys on the keyboard. Inaccordance with aspects of the present invention, each direction aQWERTY user moves a finger may be associated with a point of a compass.For example, when typing the letter “q” on a QWERTY keyboard, the leftpinky finger moves “northwest”. In typing the same letter with theexemplary layout of FIGS. 13 and 14, the left dome, and therefore theleft hand, may also move in the “northwest” direction. In this respect,the user's sense of knowing the direction the fingers move on a QWERTYkeyboard is retained when using an exemplary layout of the presentinvention. Similarly, using the position of a user's hands on the “homerow” keys of a QWERTY keyboard as reference points, every key has arelative location on the keyboard and is located in a direction awayfrom one or both of the user's hands. For example, the letter “h” islocated to the right or “east” of the user's left hand, even though theleft hand is not used to stroke the “h”. One aspect of the presentinvention allows for moving a dome in the direction of a letter'slocation on the QWERTY keyboard layout to generate a data signal forproducing a keystroke even if the hand moving that dome would not beused to produce the letter on a QWERTY keyboard. For example, togenerate a keystroke for the letter “h” using the exemplary layout ofFIGS. 13 and 14, the left dome may be moved to the right or “east”, andthe right dome may be moved to the left or “west”, which is thedirection a user would move their “pointing” finger to type “h” on aQWERTY layout. Additionally, moving the left dome “east” and the rightdome “west” may be visualized to an end user as making the horizontalbar of an “H”, which creates another kinesthetic association for a userbetween dome movement and character generation. Similarly, moving theleft dome “southeast” and the right dome “southwest” to generate a datasignal indicative of the letter “v” creates a similar kinestheticassociation for a user. A dome may also be moved in a direction based onthe relative location of a key on the QWERTY keyboard. The same holdstrue for associating any key on a standard keyboard layout used with apersonal computer, which typically includes a QWERTY layout section,used as an interface device with a personal computer to the movement ofone or more domes 303, 304 for generating a data signal.

Another aspect of the present invention allows for generating akeystroke by moving a first dome 303, 304 in the general compassdirection of the character as it is found on a QWERTY layout and movinga second dome in a direction that is at least a function of the ease ofdome movement and/or the frequency with which that character is used. Inthis respect, when generating a keystroke for a character having a highrelative frequency of use, one aspect allows for moving one of the domesin a compass direction that is relatively easier for a user to use. Ithas been determined that moving or directing a dome in one of the“north”, “south”, “east”, or “west” directions is typically easier for auser than moving or directing a dome in the “northwest”, “northeast”,“southeast” or “southwest” directions. When generating a data signal forproducing an alphanumeric character having a low relative frequency ofuse, a dome may be moved or directed into one of the “northwest”,“northeast”, “southeast” or “southwest” directions. These four positionsor directions are typically less easy for users to direct the dome andmay therefore be used with less frequency. For example, the letter “e”is the most commonly or frequently used character in the Englishalphabet. The exemplary layout of FIGS. 13 and 14 allow for a left handmotion that is up or “north” and a right hand motion that is up or“north” for generating a keystroke to produce the letter “e”. In thisrespect, movement of the left dome is associated with the kinestheticfeel of a user's left hand, as it would be done to activate the “e” keyon a QWERTY keyboard. That is, the left dome moves in the direction auser's middle finger would move to activate the “e” key. This isgenerally in an up or “north” direction. Movement of the right dome isalso up or “north” because it has been determined that the “north”position or direction is typically the easiest for users to move thedome of the “north”, “south”, “east” or “west” directions and “e” is acharacter having a high relative frequency of use.

The letter “a” is also a character with a high relative frequency ofuse. To generate a data signal or keystroke for producing the “a”character, the exemplary layout allows for a left hand motion that is tothe left or “west” and a right hand motion that is in the up or “north”direction. Because the letter “a” is a “home row” key it requires nomovement of a user's finger for its production on a QWERTY keyboardother than to press the “a” key with the user's left pinky finger. Inthis respect, the association between movement of the left dome and theQWERTY keyboard layout is the relative location of the letter “a” on theQWERTY keyboard. This is, the “a” is located on the left side of theQWERTY keyboard. Consequently, the left hand movement of the dome is inthe left or “west” direction and the right hand movement or motion is inthe up or “north” direction because the letter “a” is a character havinga high relative frequency of use and the “north” direction is relativelyeasier for users to move a dome.

One aspect of the exemplary layout of FIGS. 13 and 14 allow forgenerating a keystroke to produce the letter “z” by moving the left handand dome in the “southwest” direction and moving the right hand and domein the same or “southwest” direction. In this respect, either one of thedomes may be moved in the “southwest” direction because that is therelative direction of that letter's location of the QWERTY keyboard.That is, the letter “z” is located in the “southwest” corner of theQWERTY keyboard. The other one of the domes may also be moved in the“southwest” direction because the letter “z” has a low relativefrequency of use and the “southwest” direction is a direction that isrelatively less easy for a user to move a dome.

As will be appreciated with reference to the exemplary layout of FIGS.13 and 14, a combination of dome movements has been determined inaccordance with aspects of the present invention to generate a keystrokefor producing alphanumeric characters such as those found on a standardcomputer keyboard used as an interface device with a standard personalcomputer, for example. This exemplary layout also allows for executingfunctions found on a standard computer keyboard such as a “shift” mode,a “mouse” mode, a “caps lock” mode, a “num lock” mode, for example. Asindicated on the exemplary layout, some of these functions may requiredepressing or “clicking” one or more of the domes 303, 304. In thisrespect, a dome 303, 304 may be depressed to activate and deactivatethese functions in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

The exemplary keyboard layouts illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 mayinclude a color-coding for the arrows associated with each key on thelayout such as coding the left arrow yellow and the right arrow blue forease of reference by a user. Correspondingly colored markings may beincluded on the periphery of respective surfaces 311 at the eightcompass points or directions into which a respective dome 303, 304 maybe moved. This color-coding allows a user to easily associate arespective dome 303, 304 and the direction in which it is to be moved togenerate desired data signals for producing an alphanumeric character.

One exemplary embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 10, and asindicated in FIGS. 13 and 14, allows for entering a “Num Lock” mode bydouble clicking left dome 303, which may activate switch 334 forentering that mode. Control circuit board 312 may be programmed toreceive a data signal from switch 334 to switch the control logic of theapparatus into and out of the “Num Lock” mode. The “Num Lock” modeallows for generating data signals for producing the alphanumericcharacters on the numbers pad by moving only one dome such as right dome304. The “Shift” mode may be activated by pressing down and holding theleft dome 303, the “Caps Lock” mode may be activated by single clickingthe left dome 303 and the “Mouse” mode may be activated by singleclicking the right dome 304. Each of these movements may activate arespective switch 334, which in turn may interact with the controlcircuit board 312 to switch the control logic among these functions.

Alternate embodiments allow for various combinations of dome “clicking”to activate and deactivate various functions such as single clickingeach dome 303, 304 to enter the “Caps Lock” mode, for example. When the“Mouse” mode is activated, the control circuit board 312 switches thecontrol logic so that domes 303, 304 function for cursor control. Inthis respect, one dome may control the movement of the cursor and theother may perform the left, middle and right clicks of a conventionalmouse as indicated on the exemplary layouts of FIGS. 13 and 14.Regarding cursor control, the impressions 346 formed on the underside ofthe director plate 314 may be sufficiently shallow so that a user may“jump” the respective ball bearing 338 out of or over the impressions tofreely control movement of the cursor in any desired direction. Thisallows the arm vertically extending from position sensing means 352 tobe freely pivoted in 360° for controlling the cursor movement.

Certain keyboards and associated software known in the art that are usedwith personal computers employ a function commonly referred to as“sticky keys”. Enabling the “sticky keys” function allows a user tosequentially depress a combination of keys to execute a function ratherthan having to depress and hold those keys down simultaneously, whichmay be difficult for some users to do such as those having arthritichands. For example, depressing and holding the “Ctrl”, “Alt” and“Delete” keys on a standard keyboard will pull up a Task Manager in someversions of the Windows operating system. With “sticky keys” enabled, auser may press and release these keys in sequence to pull up the TaskManager. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may include a“sticky key” function. In this respect, referring to FIG. 11 or 12, a“sticky key” function may be provided for the “Ctrl” and/or “Alt”functions. One exemplary embodiment allows for activating the “Ctrl”function by moving a first controller, such as dome 303, “southeast” anda second controller, such as dome 304, “north”, allowing the controllersto return to their respective home positions. With the “Ctrl” functionactivated, a user may then enter a series of alphanumeric characters,for example, by moving respective controllers in the directionsindicated on the exemplary layouts of FIG. 11 or 12 that represent anexecutable function such as a command or other instruction. Afterentering these alphanumeric characters, the user may then execute thefunction by deactivating the “Ctrl” function by moving the first andsecond controllers in the respective directions indicated above. The“Alt” function may be similarly executed. Respective LEDs may illuminateon the surface of device 10 when the “Ctrl” and “Alt” functions areenabled, as well as other functions, in this manner to indicate to auser that the respective “sticky key” functions are activated.

FIGS. 15 through 18 illustrate various perspective views of an exemplaryhandheld device 390 having a main body 400 that may be contoured to beheld in a user's hands so that each thumb of the user may tactilelyengage respective ones of a first thumb controller 402 and a secondthumb controller 404. First and second thumb controllers 402, 404 may becoupled with a variety of means for generating electronic signals inresponse to a user's tactile engagement with a respective one of thethumb controllers as more fully described herein. FIGS. 19 and 20 areexploded perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of device 390comprising a top housing 410 and a bottom housing 412 that form the mainbody 400 (FIGS. 15-18) when assembled.

The top housing 410 may include a pair of annular collars 414 extendingbeneath its surface within which respective thumb controllers 402, 404may be seated. An inside circumference of each annular collar 414 may beformed with a plurality of recesses 416 for receiving a respectiveplurality of protuberances 418 that may be formed around a lowercircumference of respective thumb controllers 402, 404. In an exemplaryembodiment there may be eight recesses 416 within each collar 414corresponding with eight respective protuberances 418 of thumbcontrollers 402, 404 where the eight positions represent the maincompass points or positions for ease of explaining aspects of thedevice's 390 functionality. It will be appreciated that thefunctionality with respect to any one exemplary embodiment disclosedherein may be used with any other exemplary embodiments.

Recesses 416 may be tapered with an upper portion wider than a lowerportion and an end portion 419 (FIG. 21) of each protuberance 418 maydefine a radius of curvature that substantially conforms with a radiusof curvature defined by an interior surface of respective recesses 416.The tapered recesses 416 and/or substantially conforming curvaturesallow for a thumb controller 402, 404 to be accurately guided into eachone of the eight compass points or positions. Forming recesses 416 widerat the top than the bottom accommodates for directional variations whena user initiates movement of a thumb controller 402, 404. As a thumbcontroller 402, 404 continues on the initiated path a respectiveprotuberance 418 associated with that path is captured by the respectivetapered recess 416 and guided toward the associated compass position.This relationship provides the user with tactile freedom of movement inthat the initial movement of a thumb controller 402, 404 toward acompass position does not have to be in the exact same direction everytime. Instead, the user initiates movement of a thumb controller 402,404 in the general direction of a desired compass position and therespective tapered recess 416 and protuberance 418 accurately guides thethumb controller into that position.

Referring again to FIGS. 19 and 20, a platform 420 may include a circuitboard 422 to which a pair of means for sensing 424, 426 the positionallocation or movement of respective thumb controllers 402, 404 may beattached. In an exemplary embodiment the means for sensing 424, 426 maybe a pair of respective potentiometer or digital joysticks operativelyconnected with circuit board 422 in accordance with aspects of theinvention. Alternate means for sensing will be recognized by thoseskilled in the art and may include, for example, momentary and tactswitches, pressure sensitive touch pads and touch screens, magnetic reedswitches and sensors, electrical contact points, photo transmitters,photo interrupters, photo sensors, strain gauges, optical wheels, suchas a mouse or trackball, having optical or mechanical encoders,electronic ball plungers, hall effect sensors, lasers, electro-opticsensors, electro-mechanical sensors, accelerometers, reflective objectsensors, reflective object photo interrupters, and rotary and slideswitches.

Platform 420 may be configured with a housing 421 for housing batteriesthat power circuit board 422 in response to activation of an on/offswitch 423. A set of indicators 426, such as light emitting diodes(LED), may be positioned on platform 420 to indicate that device 390 isin one or more modes of operation or convey other information to theuser. The means for sensing 424, 426 may be a pair of respectivepotentiometer or digital joysticks operatively connected with circuitboard 422 where each joystick has a respective post 430, 432. Thumbcontrollers 402, 404 may be connected to respective posts 430, 432 sothat a user may move the posts in response to the user's tactileengagement with thumb controllers 402, 404. This may be accomplished byusing the user's thumbs to move a respective thumb controller 402, 404toward a compass point position. Respective recesses 416 andprotuberances 418 function as means for guiding a respective thumbcontroller 402, 404 into one of a plurality of positional locations suchas the eight compass point locations. Data signals may be generated bysensing means 424, 426 in response to resolving the positional locationor a threshold movement of respective posts 430, 432 in a direction.These signals may be processed in accordance with aspects of theinvention to generate alphanumeric characters, switch among modes andexecute various functions.

One or more switches (not shown) may be integral with device 390, suchas positioned on each side of the device's front so a user may activatethem with their index fingers. These switches may be used for numerousreasons such as changing the patterns of thumb controllers 402, 404needed to switch device 390 between modes of operation or they maygenerate signals when activated for executing functions. For example,such switches may change the modes of operation determined by axialmovement of a controller 402, 404 such as depressing and releasing.

Referring to FIGS. 21-24, alternate embodiments of device 390 mayinclude thumb controllers 402, 404 that have an indentation 440 orconcave surface area to accommodate a user's thumb to facilitate tactileengagement with that thumb controller. Another embodiment of device 390may include one or two thumb controllers 442 configured as shown inFIGS. 23, 24 that do not have protuberances 418. This embodiment may beused with collars 414 having recesses 416 formed therein or the insidecircumferential surfaces of collars 414 may be smooth. Embodiments ofdevice 390 may employ a pair of exemplary thumb controllers 442operatively connected with respective sensing means 424, 426 thatcontinuously generate respective electrical signals while device 390 ispowered. Alternate embodiments may comprise other sensing means thatproduce electrical signals or other data streams depending on thesensing means used.

Such signals or data streams may be indicative of a user's tactileengagement with respect to each of the pair of thumb controllers 442such as moving posts 430, 432 to actuate the potentiometers ofrespective joysticks. In another exemplary embodiment a user slidingtheir thumbs over a pair of respective touch pads may generaterespective streams of electrical signals. In this respect, electricalsignals are continuously generated with respect to each sensing means424, 426 that are indicative of three degrees of motion. For example,with respect to a joystick, movement of posts 430, 432 will cause thegeneration of electrical signals from the respective joystick'spotentiometers indicating motion or location in a respective “XY” planefor each post. Axial movement of a post 430, 432 such as by depressingand holding a post, for example, will generate data signals indicatingmotion or location along a Z-axis. Embodiments of device 390 may includeswitching means that may be activated or deactivated by a thumbcontroller 442 such as by depressing and releasing or depressing andholding the controller. This allows for switching device 390 betweenmodes of operation such as switching from a keyboard mode to a mousemode or activating and deactivating functions or combinations offunctions such as the “Ctrl” or “Alt” functions, for example, or forcontrolling a cursor.

Standard PC and other keyboards typically use switches, conductivemembranes and various other binary means to sense key activation. Suchbinary means are discretely variable in that they generate signals whenthey are switched or turned on but don't generate signals when they areswitched or turned off. Aspects of the invention allow for continuallygenerating, monitoring and analyzing electrical signals or other datasignal streams from respective sensing means 424, 426. This allows forincreased levels of correlating signals with decision-making references,criteria or lookup tables, identifying sets of signals, and theresolution or reconciliation of continually generated signals or datastreams to perform a wide range of tasks or actions as further describedherein. These signals may be resolved for generating data signalsindicative of alphanumeric characters or executable functions that arecompatible with a wide range of devices. This significantly expands theflexibility of programming and reprogramming a processing module ofdevice 390 with respect to keyboard layouts, mode switching andexecuting functions, for example, relative to standard keyboards orknown handheld devices. A control or processing module, such as onecontained on circuit board 422 may be reprogrammed to change a device's390 functionality and characteristics without the addition of newhardware.

When device 390 is being used, further aspects of the invention allowfor continuous data collection indicative of a posts' 430, 432 movementin a respective “XY” plane where that data is resolved with dataindicative of a post's movement or location along a respective Z-axis.In an exemplary embodiment of device 390 a thumb controller 434 may bemoved axially its Z-axis to indicate four modes: (1) depress and hold;(2) depress and release (“click”) to indicate “on”, (3) click toindicate “off” and (4) twist or rotate about its Z-axis.

In this respect, control logic of device 390 may resolve the respective“XY” plane signals, or coordinate data, from a pair of controllers 434with one or more respective Z-axis signals to determine an alphanumericcharacter to be produced or function to be executed. Other aspects ofthe signal processing allows for determining the timing of thesignaling, which may be indicative of how long it takes to move a postor posts 430, 432 to generate or type a particular character. Becausethe signal processing may be performed continuously while device 390 isin use the device's control logic may determine a physical path taken bya thumb controller 434 for generation of an alphanumeric character, modeswitching or executable function. This also allows for the storing ofdata in a database of circuit board 422 indicative of user's actionsover time and the application of algorithms, such as linear regression,to modify previously determined associations of vector direction andlength with movements of controllers 434. The continual data collectionallows for embodiments of device 390 to make artificially intelligentand logical decisions based on the historical signal data collected andanalyzed with respect to a user. The collected data may be analyzed todetect patterns with respect to a user's movement or tactile engagementof controllers 434. These patterns may be used to reprogram the controllogic of device 390 to accommodate a user's preferences for generatingoutput signals from device 390 to other devices for generatingalphanumeric characters, changing modes of operation, executingfunctions or commands.

Embodiments of device 390 may be programmed with control logic thatallows for a signal processor or processors to analyze the electricalsignals and determine which portions of those signals are monitored,matched and converted into the matched alphanumeric character orfunctional output. The signals may be matched to a reference such as anASCII table to generate an alphanumeric character or to a set of auser's historical data to determine user habits, for example. Otherreferences may be used depending on the desired output.

Circuit board 422 may include a control processor configured to matchpatterns of collected data to various references for converting thatdata into desired data signals to be output from device 390, or usedinternally by device 390 such as one having a self-contained display.The data may be monitored and collected continuously or periodicallysampled when device 390 is in use. This functionality may all reside oncircuit board 422 contained within device 390. When a host system'ssignaling requirements (ASCII for computers, etc.) are known the controllogic of device 390 may be programmed with an appropriate reference orset of conversion instructions to generate data signals that will beconverted into alphanumeric characters, functions or modes of operationwhen input into the host system. Direction or vector data signals,joystick deflection angle data signals and various mode sensing data maybe constantly polled in embodiments of device 390 and modeled to enablealphanumeric and control output to various devices including computers,cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), game consoles,household appliances, televisions or other devices configured to receivean electrical data signal.

An aspect of the invention provides a means for resolving a directionwithin which a thumb controller moves, which may be used in variousembodiments of device 390 such as one using a pair of thumb controllers442 that do not have mechanical guiding means such as recesses 416 andprotuberances 418. Controllers 442 may be connected to respective posts430, 432 of a pair of sensing means 424, 426 (joysticks) housed withindevice 390. The joysticks generate voltage (resistance) signals throughthe use of two potentiometers that are 90° opposed. These voltages maybe captured and recorded and used in a linear regression model todetermine or predict a direction in which the respective thumbcontrollers 434 are moved.

Referencing FIGS. 28-30, the eight directions in which the thumbcontrollers 434 move in an exemplary embodiment may be derived anddefined by the specific voltages generated from each respectivejoystick. FIG. 30 shows what each slope must be optimally with respectto voltage in order to register a character. The regression model may beused to compare the equation of a first line, which is determined from aset of signals generated from a joystick when moved by a user and aknown equation that bisects each octant when plotted. The regressionanalysis allows for determining linearity by comparing the slope of theknown octant division to that of the regression line derived from theuser input. Each user input may be compared or matched to the eightdefined slopes. The slope that the user's input best matches mayactivate that zone for character output. The eight zones illustrated inFIGS. 28-30 may correspond to the eight main compass point positions.

In another aspect for determining motion or directional movement ofrespective controllers 434, when moving a joystick to the north “N”position a voltage resistance is registered. For example, a valuebetween 10 and 30 ohms would be registered with the exemplary voltagesshown in FIG. 29. This value may vary as a thumb controller 434 andrespective post 430, 432 move due to the absence of a guidance mechanismto guide the motion into a particular zone or the user's control of acontroller may not move linearly. Once the voltages are captured andrecorded at >1000 Hz for example, a regression analysis may be used todetermine a line that best fits through the voltage data. In thisrespect, the average voltage of the thumb controller motion, 22 ohms forexample, and the slope of a line through those data points as the thumbcontroller 434 travels from its center point to its stopping point inthe north position are known. This information may be used to determineor predict the zone within which the user was intending to move thecontroller 434. An average of 22 ohms indicates that the voltage inputplaces the motion of thumb controller 434 into the north octant.

Further, the regression of the voltage data indicates that the slope is+100 or just slightly right of the vertical line (north) in FIG. 30.Together these two pieces of data provide an acceptable confidence levelthat the user intended to move the thumb controller 434 north. If theslope and the average voltage do not predict movement in the same octantthen the linear regression may be the value used as the intended input.It will be appreciated that other means may be used to determine orpredict the intended motion of controller 434 based on the collectedsignals such as neural networks, fuzzy logic, multiple regression andother known statistical methods.

Various embodiments of handheld keyboard device 390 are programmable andreprogrammable to accommodate an individual user's set of preferences.For example, a user's level of comfort and their level of need to either(a) learn to quickly (i.e., the shortest amount of time possible) usethe keyboard to input data signals for generating desired output, or (b)acquire a typing speed or throughput over time that meets or exceeds adesired rate. These three parameters or preferences of comfort, learningease and throughput are often in conflict with one another whentactilely engaging thumb controllers 402, 404 or 442 or “typing”. Forexample, easy to learn methods of input are often not the ones thatallow for greatest speed or throughput. Similarly, methods to achieve ahigh rate of throughput or typing speed may not be the ones that areeasiest to learn. Optimizing these three preferences for a user may beperformed using mathematical algorithms.

A traditional keyboard has characters printed on each of its keys. Keysare located in fixed positions on the keyboard to create its uniquelayout. Hard coded in the keyboard is its particular key's logic. Thekeyboard layout may be changed physically and functionally by replacingor adding specific keys, or through software controls such as thecontrol panel of a Windows operating system, or through other similarmeans. These methods do not allow the keyboard to retain its programmedlayout logic without its operable connection to a computer system suchas a PC. The computer system has to control the keyboard remapping inits own memory or the keyboard has to be programmed at the code and chiplevel for operation. These approaches are difficult and usually notperformed by the user. Thus, flexibility is limited for reprogramming astandard keyboard to accommodate an individual user's needs orpreferences.

Embodiments of keyboard device 390 may comprise keyboard control logicconfigured to evaluate a plurality of user subjective and objectivepreferences to create a custom keyboard layout or pattern of tactileengagement for generating alphanumeric characters, switching among modesand executing functions. In an embodiment, a user's level of comfortwith respect to physical motion may be optimized in association withwhether the user desires to learn quickly, which may limit output speed,or maximize output regardless of learning time.

The biomechanics of an average user's thumb has a range of motion thatallows the user to move thumb controllers 402, 404 or 424 in alldirections required to generate data signals with device 390. However,there tends to be a preference for movements in particular directionsfor any particular user. These preferences may develop as a function ofthumb use in other activities, its manual dexterity, genetics, or itsdisability. Aspects of the invention allow for customizing a keyboardlayout to accommodate a user defined set of preferences andreprogramming device 390 to correspond with the customized layout.Keyboard layouts may also be determined and arranged through independenttesting and not with respect to a particular user.

Learning ease, which may be expressed in terms of how much time it takesa user to achieve a specified throughput, may be determined by howquickly a user can learn to use embodiments of device 390. Learningrequires recognition and familiarity of a keyboard layout such as theexemplary keyboard layouts or templates shown in FIGS. 25-27, which maybe attached to device 390 or displayed on a separate user's guide card.Patterns of letters, numbers and colors known to a user may aid in thatuser's ease of learning. The more recognizable, familiar, understandableand logical a keyboard layout is the easier it is to learn. For example,a new typist may find an alphabetic layout easier to learn because thealphabet is easily recognized and familiar.

Maximizing throughput speed of device 390 may be a function ofoptimizing the character layout and relative movement of the thumbcontrollers. The most commonly typed letters such as “e”, “t”, “n”, “o”,“a” or others may be located on a keyboard layout of the invention thatcorrespond to the particular compass point positions that are thefastest for a particular user to move their right thumb into.Alphanumeric characters may be position with respect to the right thumbcontroller while minimizing the number of motions required by the leftthumb. In this aspect and with respect to device 390 having a rightthumb controller 402 or 442, two positions of the left thumb controllermay be used for typing the 16 most frequently used characters withcorresponding tactile engagement of a thumb controller 404 or 442 withthe right thumb into eight positions. These 16 characters make up alarge percentage of typed words.

One aspect of the invention provides a method for determining acustomized keyboard layout for a particular user. This may includedetermining how fast or at what rate of speed a particular user's thumbsmove into one or more positions associated with a thumb controller 402,404 or 442 such as the eight respective compass point positions of eachthumb controller. Data sets may be collected for a user with respect tothat user's preferences for the easiest, fastest, and most comfortablepositions for moving or otherwise tactilely engaging the thumbcontrollers of device 390. These data sets may be ranked in accordancewith a user's preferences.

The data sets may be collected through a series of on-screen exercisessuch as by interfacing device 390 with the monitor of a PC, or using adisplay screen integral with device 390. The easiest and mostcomfortable positions for a user are subjective and highly correlated. Auser is asked to perform a number of thumb controller movements and thenrank them. The fastest positions for a user may be measured objectivelyvia input times captured by the computer using a range of tests designedso that a user will move or otherwise tactilely engage thumb controllers402, 404 or 424 multiple times through a range of positions. If thefastest, easiest, and most comfortable positions are not highlycorrelated for a user a greater weighting may be assigned to any ofthese user preferences that the user considers their top priority. Forexample, the “fastest” variable or preference may be accorded a higherweighting when customizing or optimizing that user's keyboard layout ifthat user selects speed as being their top consideration or priority.

After collecting data sets with respect to a user's learning ease,speed, and comfort of moving or tactilely engaging thumb controllers402, 404 or 424 a user matched or customized keyboard layout may bedetermined. In one aspect a 5-point Likert scale may be used todetermine the relative importance or priority a user has with respect totyping ease and typing speed. A user may rank each of these twovariables or preferences from 1 to 5 with 1 being not important, 3 beingneutral and 5 being very important.

In the case of the learning ease ranked as 1 and the typing speed rankedas 5, for example, a character or keyboard layout may be developed wherethe fastest thumb controller 434 positions for that user will have themost frequently used characters associated therewith regardless of therecognition or familiarity of the layout to that user. In the case ofthe learning ease ranked as 5 and the typing speed ranked as 1, acharacter or keyboard layout may be developed using an alphabetic layoutwith uniform colors that may be optimized for thumb controller 434movement positions, which may or may not have an affect on speed. Ingeneral, as the typing speed rank increases from 1 to 5 the character orkeyboard layouts may become increasingly designed with respect tocomfort and speed of thumb controller 434 movements as well as characterplacement based on frequency.

Other exemplary methods of customizing character or keyboard layouts maybe based on the relative rankings a user selects for their preferencesof learning ease and typing speed. For example, a 1 and 1 ranking mayproduce a wide range of layouts because the user is not concerned withlearning ease or typing speed. A 5 and 5 ranking may produce a layoutwhere characters are optimized for both learning ease and typing speed.This layout may include characters arranged in a pattern or order thatis at least partially recognizable by the particular user. Charactersmay be optimized according to use based on the optimal characterpatterns and fastest thumb controller motions for a user.

After a character arrangement or keyboard layout is determined for auser, the code or instructions necessary to implement that layout on auser's device may be transmitted electronically over various mediums andloaded into memory contained with respective circuit boards of theuser's device. For example, USB or other cable connections, wireless orremovable memory cards may be used. If a user's abilities change orre-evaluation is required by the user then the analysis may be performedagain and the card or unit reprogrammed to adopt any modifications.

FIG. 25 illustrates an exemplary keyboard layout template 450 that maybe used with a thumb controller of device 390 such as a left thumbcontroller 402. Template 450 may include a plurality of indicators 452through 462, which may be color-coded and arranged with respect toselected compass point positions. In an exemplary embodiment indicator452 may be in the “southwest” position, 454 in the “northwest” position,456 in the “north” position, 458 in the “northeast” position, 460 in the“southeast” position and 462 in the “south” position. Indicators 452through 460 may each have a color distinct from the others that allows auser to associate movements of left thumb controller 402 with movementsof right thumb controller 404 for generating data signals indicative ofalphanumeric characters, modes of operation or the execution offunctions. The positions associated with indicators 452 through 460 maybe ranked based on the ease with which an average user can movecontroller 402 into those positions. General testing indicates thatposition 456 is the easiest, 458 is the second easiest, 454 is the thirdeasiest, 460 is the fourth easiest and 452 is the fifth easiest.

FIG. 26 illustrates an exemplary keyboard layout template 470 that maybe divided into octants 472 through 486 that are arranged with respectto the eight main compass point positions. In an exemplary embodimenteach octant may include five alphanumeric character positionscircumferentially disposed in a respective portion of an outer ring 490.One or more octants may include indicia of executable functions such as“space”, “menu”, “enter” and “bspace” similarly disposed on an innerring 500. The color-coding and sequential arrangement of indicators 452through 460 may be associated with the five alphanumeric characterpositions within each octant.

For example, each indicator 452 through 460 may be a different color sothat as a user moves clockwise from indicator 452 in the “southwest”position to indicator 460 in the “southeast” position the colors willchange sequentially from indicator to indicator. This clockwise sequenceof colors may also be expressed for the five alphanumeric character orfunction positions within each octant. Thus, there are five indicators452 through 460 associated via a clockwise, color-coded sequence withthe five positions within each octant 472 through 486.

In this respect, octant 484 may have “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” inclockwise sequence in the five alphanumeric character or functionpositions where those five positions have the same clockwise, sequentialcolor-coding as indicators 452 through 460. For example, the indicatorsmay be color-coded orange, yellow, red, blue and green clockwise from452 to 460, respectively. Likewise, the five positions within eachoctant may be color-coded orange, yellow, red, blue and green from thefirst position clockwise to the fifth position. This clockwise movementand color-coded association between the left and right thumb controllers402, 404 is beneficial for a user to learn the patterns required forgeneration of those alphanumeric characters contained on template 470.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 26 the letters of the alphabetare arranged in clockwise, alphabetical order from octant 484 throughthe first alphanumeric position of octant 478 and numerals 1-0 aresimilarly arranged in octants 478 through 482. Indicator 462 may be usedin association with octants 472, 476, 480 and 484 to generate thefunctions illustrated on the inner ring 500. To execute one of thesefunctions, a user moves left thumb controller 402 into the “south”position and the right thumb controller 404 into the positioncorresponding with the function to be executed.

Alternate embodiments of templates 450, 470 may be based on otherassociations such as ease of movement of a controller and frequency ofuse of a character or for other user specific preferences. For example,indicator 456 is in the easiest to move position (“north”) so the fivemost frequently used letters may assume the first alphanumeric positionof five consecutive octants on template 470. Templates 450, 470 may alsoindicate other color-coded associations between movement of controllers402, 404 or 434 and the generation of data signals by embodiments ofdevice 390 that may be used for interfacing with a wide range of otherdevices. The movement may be associated or mapped with a QWERTY, Dvorak,Chubon, Fitaly, As In Red Hot keyboard layouts or other layoutsexpressing alphanumeric characters, functions, instructions or commandsfor receipt by another electronic device. Templates 450, 470 may beembossed or otherwise illustrated on a surface of top housing 410, whichmay be configured as a removable insert so that a user may interchangeinserts between a decorative insert, for example, and an instructionalinsert containing templates 450, 470.

FIG. 27 illustrates another exemplary embodiment of a left thumbcontroller 402 template 510 and a right thumb controller template 520that may be mapped on the basis of controller movement and color-codingto a standard QWERTY keyboard layout 530. In this aspect, at least onecontroller's 402, 404 movement may be associated with the location of analphanumeric character or function, or groups thereof, on the QWERTYkeyboard. For example, numbers 1 through 5 and letters “q”, “w” and “e”may be color-coded the same color as a group. This group of keys islocated in the “northwest” region of the QWERTY keyboard. To generateone of these characters a user moves the left thumb controller 402 inthe same direction as the location of this group, i.e., in the“northwest” direction or octant indicated on template 510, which iscolor-coded the same color as this group of characters. The right thumbcontroller 404 is moved in the direction indicated by an arrow on thespecific character key the user desires to generate. As shown in FIG.27, to generate the number “1” the user would move the left thumbcontroller 402 into the “northwest” position and the right thumbcontroller 404 in the “northeast” direction as indicated by the arrow onthe “1” key. Controllers 402, 404 may be moved consecutively orsimultaneously in these directions.

FIG. 27 illustrates that with respect to numbers “1” through “5” thedirection of movement of right thumb controller 404 forms a clockwisepattern from the “northeast” direction to the “southwest” direction.Similarly, a counterclockwise pattern is formed for numbers “6” through“0” from the “south” direction to the “northwest” direction. Suchpatterns are beneficial in facilitating a user's learning and memory ofthe controllers' 402, 404 movements for generating the desiredcharacter, function, etc. It will be appreciated that associations ormappings between the movement of controllers 402, 404 and a keyboardlayout such as the QWERTY may also be based on user preferences,frequency of character use, ease of controller movement and keylocation, for example.

Various embodiments of device 390 may be Bluetooth enabled andconfigured with a single antenna that transmits data signals from device390 to a receiving device. These data signals allow device 390 tointeroperate with the receiving device in a keyboard mode and a mousemode as a single unit. Embodiments of device 390 may also be configuredso that when interfacing with a display device an on-screen guide may bedisplayed in response to a user moving or engaging a controller 402, 404or 434. For example, referring to FIGS. 25 and 26 when a left thumbcontroller 402 is moved in the direction of indicator 454 an on-screenguide may display those alphanumeric characters or functions from thesecond character position of each octant 472 through 486 and thedirection the right thumb controller 404 needs to be moved to generateeach one. The displayed alphanumeric characters or functions are theones from which the user may select to generate by movement of rightthumb controller 404 in the necessary direction.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the variousembodiments of an interface device, such as keyboard 10 and device 390,may be used to generate electronic data signals that may be used toperform a wide range of functions and are not limited to data signalsthat may be used to produced alphanumeric characters and/or to executestandard keyboard functions. For example, software and/or firmware maybe configured to interpret data signals produced in accordance withaspects of the present invention to interact with and/or control a rangeof electronic devices such as computer games, simulators, robots,telecommunications equipment or other devices responsive to anelectronic data signal. Embodiments of keyboard 10 may be configured totransmit data signals over wireless communications mediums as will berecognized by those skilled in the art.

It will be further recognized by those skilled in the art that theexemplary embodiments of the present invention may generate data signalsand/or instructions having specified characteristics as required for usein a wide range of applications such as the formation of alphanumeric orspecial characters in a computing or communications environment or as aninput data signal to and/or for control of a wide range of electronic,electro-mechanical or other devices. For example, exemplary embodimentsmay be configured to select phonemes by moving or tactilely engaging athumb controller in a specific direction. The association between movingor engaging a thumb controller and the phoneme selected may be afunction of an end user's physical ability or limitations, for example.

Alternate embodiments may be integral with an automobile's steeringwheel, for example, to control various functions such as the radiofunctions, AC control, radio tuner, dialing a cell phone through the carsystem, etc. Various other embodiments may be used for industrial,aircraft or robotics control, controlling motorized wheelchairs,controlling functions in an automated house such as turning lights onand off, generating characters or icons for pictorial communication vs.alphanumeric, or a voice synthesized embodiment may be used for phonemeand icon reading in combination, for example. An LCD panel may be builtinto the housing of various embodiments of the present invention for atyping tutor, troubleshooting instructions, sound programming or othersettings. Alternate embodiments may be used to control instant messagingfunctions or the buttons at the top of a Web browser, for example.

Another exemplary embodiment of device 390 is shown in FIG. 31 usinglike reference numerals for like components. Device 390 may include atop housing 410 and a bottom housing 412. A pair of multi-steppedrecesses 600, 602 may be formed in device 410 each having a respectiveaperture through which a respective post 430, 432 may extend such asposts from sensing means 424, 426 shown in FIG. 20. A frustum or beveledportion 604, 606 may be formed in each respective recess 600, 602 forlimiting the maximum angular displacement of posts 430, 432 toapproximately 45° when moved by a user with controllers 610, 612 shownin FIG. 32.

Referring to FIG. 32, in an exemplary embodiment top housing 410 mayinclude a base portion 614 and a removable or detachable insert 616.Stepped recesses 600, 602 may be formed integral with the base portion614. Part of detachable insert 616 may form fit within recesses formedwithin base portion 614 so that the respective surfaces of insert 616and base portion 614 are flush with one another when assembled. A loweredge 618, 620 of controllers 610, 612 may be beveled so the controllersfit within the beveled portions 604, 606 when attached to posts 430,432. This relationship provides a parallel or near-parallel meeting ofthe lower edge 618, 620 of controllers 610, 612 against beveled portions604, 606 of each respective recess 600, 602 when controllers 610, 612have reached their maximum angular displacement. In this respect, whencontrollers 610, 612 are attached to posts 430, 432 shown in FIG. 31 aportion of the controllers may extend above respective rims 630, 632 soa user may easily engage the controllers with their respective thumbs.

The tops of controllers 610, 612 may be flush with or slightly below thetop surface of upper housing 410 so they do not extend above the topsurface of upper housing 410. Keeping the tops, or upper surface, of thecontrollers flush in this manner provides a smooth profile to the uppersurface to device 410. This prevents controllers 610, 612 from“catching” unwanted objects or surfaces and allows the device to beeasily placed in a user's pocket or travel case. A pair of plates ordiscs 634, 636 may be provided that fit over posts 430, 432 andunderneath upper housing 410. Plates 634, 636 enhance the aesthetics ofdevice 390 and prevent foreign matter from entering interior portions ofdevice 390, which protects internal components such as sensing means424, 426. A detachable battery cover 640 may be provided for securing abattery to device 390. FIG. 32 also shows power switch 423 and LED pipes642 that may be integral with platform 420 such as the one shown inFIGS. 19 and 20.

FIG. 33 illustrates an exemplary keyboard layout template 650 that maybe used with a thumb controller of device 390 such as a left thumbcontroller 402, 610, it being appreciated that the templates disclosedherein may be reversed with respect to the thumb controllers onembodiments of the invention. Template 650 may be divided into aplurality of segments 652 through 666, which in an embodiment may beoctants associated with compass point positions as discussed above. Oneor more segments 652 through 666 may be color-coded to distinguishsegments from each other and associate them with aspects of an exemplarykeyboard layout template 670 of FIG. 34. For example, segments 652through 660 may each be a different color and have indicia of differentcharacter sets thereon. The combination of colors and character sets maybe associated with keyboard layout template 670 that may be used forgenerating data signals indicative of alphanumeric characters,functions, mode switching and other commands.

Referring to FIG. 34, template 670 may be divided into segments such asoctants 672 through 686 arranged with respect to the eight main compasspoint positions. In an exemplary embodiment each octant may includeindicia of five alphanumeric character positions circumferentiallydisposed in an outer ring portion or periphery of template 670. One ormore octants may include indicia of executable functions such as“space”, “menu”, “enter”, “bspace”, “ctl”, “alt” and “del” similarlydisposed on an inner ring portion of template 670. The color-coding,alphanumeric character sets and sequential arrangement of segments 652through 660 of template 650 may be associated with the five alphanumericcharacter positions within octants 672 through 680 of template 670.

For example, each segment 652 through 660 may be a different color sothat as a user moves clockwise from segment 652 in the “west” positionto indicator 660 in the “east” position the colors will change in asequential pattern from segment to segment. This clockwise sequence offive colors may be the same pattern for the five alphanumeric characteror function positions within each octant 672 through 680 of template670. Thus, the five segments 652 through 660 are associated with fivepositions within each octant 672 through 680 by virtue of the clockwisecolor-coded pattern shown in FIGS. 33 and 34.

In an exemplary embodiment, a different alphanumeric character may beassigned to each of the five positions within respective segments 672through 680. In this respect, octant 672 of template 670 may haveindicia of letters “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” in clockwise sequence inthe five alphanumeric character or function positions. These fivepositions may have the same clockwise, sequential color pattern assegments 652 through 660 (first position—rose, second position—yellow,third position—green, fourth position—orange and fifth position—aqua) asshown in octant 676. Octants 674 through 680 may have differentcharacter sets as shown in FIG. 34 with each of the five alphanumericcharacter or function positions within each octant having the sameclockwise, sequential color pattern as octant 672. The embodiment ofFIG. 34 illustrates the letters of the alphabet in a clockwise andalphabetical orientation it being appreciated that other lettercombinations may be used within each octant.

In an embodiment, template 650 may include indicia of a plurality ofcharacter sets selected from template 670. For example, first segment652 may have a rose color-coded background that a user will associatewith the characters on template 670 having a rose color-codedbackground. In this example first segment 652 may include the characterset “AFKPU” expressed thereon where each of these characters is selectedfrom the rose color-coded position (first position) of octants 672through 680 moving clockwise. Similarly, second segment 654 throughfifth segment 660 may include respective character sets expressedthereon where the characters are selected from the respectivecolor-coded character positions within segments 672 through 680 movingclockwise. For example, segment 654, which is yellow may have characterset “BGLQV” expressed thereon, which are the letters selected from thecorresponding yellow coded alphanumeric positions (second position) ofsegments 672 through 680.

This clockwise color-coded association, such as between the left andright thumb controllers 402, 404 or 610, 612, for example, is beneficialfor a user to learn the patterns of movement for generation of thosealphanumeric characters contained on templates 470, 670. In theexemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 26 the letters of the alphabet arearranged in clockwise, alphabetical order from octant 484 through thefirst alphanumeric position of octant 478 and numerals 1-0 are similarlyarranged in octants 478 through 482. Indicator 462 may be used inassociation with octants 472, 476, 480 and 484 to generate the functionsillustrated on the inner ring 500. FIG. 40 illustrates an exemplaryembodiment of a keyboard layout that may be used as a guide with device390 and keyboard layouts 650 and 670 shown in FIGS. 33 and 34 forgenerating alphanumeric characters. The keyboard layout of FIG. 40expresses the directions for moving a pair of respective left and rightcontrollers to generate a respective alphanumeric character, executefunctions and shift modes.

FIGS. 35 and 36 show embodiments of device 390 having an integraldisplay screen or monitor 700. Device 390 of FIG. 35 may include a topsection 702 and a bottom section 704 joined together by a hingedconnection 706. Top section 702 may fold together with bottom section704 via connection 706 so the sections are secured together to form acompact device that may be easily stored or carried. Left and rightthumb controllers 710, 712 may be provided in bottom section 704 thatare connected to sensing means internal to bottom section 704 such assensing means 424, 426 shown in FIG. 20. Alternate embodiments allow fordevice 390 to be configured so that display screen 700 mirrors thedisplay of another device such as a cellular phone display, for example.This may be accomplished using suitable remote display controlprogramming such as, for example, Virtual Network Computer (VNC) codewith the cellular phone running VNC server code and device 390 runningVNC viewer code. Additional alternative embodiments allow for device 390to be configured so that it has integrated into itself the fullfunctionality of a gaming, communications, or computing device.

Respective templates 714, 716 may be affixed proximate respectivecontrollers 710, 712 to provided guidance to a user for alphanumericcharacter generation, mode switching and executing functions. Forexample, templates 714, 716 may be color-coded and arranged in a mannerdescribed with respect to templates 650, 670 shown in FIGS. 33 and 34.An array of LEDs 718 may be provided to indicate that various functionsor modes are enabled. FIG. 36 illustrates another embodiment of device390 having like reference numerals to the embodiment of FIG. 35. It willbe appreciated that embodiments of device 390 may generate data signalsindicative of alphanumeric characters to be generated in response to thetactile engagement of controllers 710, 712 as describe herein. Thesedata signals may generate alphanumeric characters that are displayed onmonitor 700 and/or transmitted for receipt by a receiving device.

FIG. 37 a illustrates an alternate embodiment of device 390 that mayinclude a housing 732, a left control panel 740 and a right controlpanel 760. Control panels 740, 760 may each be shaped as a regularpolygon comprising a plurality of independently controllable keys 742through 752 and 762 through 772, respectively. Keys 742 through 752 maybe color-coded and associated with the color of each alphanumericcharacter within character proximate keys 762 through 772.

FIGS. 37 b-37 c illustrate exemplary keyboard layout templates 840 and860 that may be used with control panels of device 390 such as controlpanels 740 and 760, with each polygon element 842 through 852 and 862through 872 corresponding to independently controllable keys 742 through752 and 762 through 772, respectively. The polygon element 842 may bered, the polygon element 844 yellow, the polygon element 846 green, thepolygon element 848 purple, the polygon element 850 blue and the polygonelement 852 gray. These colors may be associated with each letter“ABCDEF” in character grouping 880 that corresponds to character setindicia 780 proximate key 762. In this respect, letter “A” may be red,“B” yellow, “C” green, “D” purple, “E” blue and “F” gray. In similarfashion, this same sequence of colors may be associated with theletters, symbols, or functional key designations contained in charactergroupings 882-890 that correspond to character set indicia 782-790respectively.

Thus, with the keyboard layout templates 840 and 860 applied asindicated above to the housing 732, control panels 740 and 760, andindicia 780-790 of device 390, a user may quickly associate which twokeys to activate in order to generate data signals indicative of analphanumeric character to be produced. To produce an “a”, the user woulddepress key 742 on left control panel 740 and key 764 on right controlpanel 760. Key 742 is red, which corresponds with letter “a”, which isalso red and positioned proximate key 764. The control logic of device390 may be programmed so that depressing this key combination willgenerate a data signal that is resolved by a processing module into adata signal indicative of the letter “a”. It will be appreciated thatthe alphanumeric characters in each character set proximate keys 762through 772 may have the same color-coded sequence as character set 780,which matches the clockwise, color-coded sequence of keys 742 through752.

Keys 742 through 752 and 762 through 772 may activate a binary-typeswitch when depressed, i.e., each key may generate a discretely variableoutput signal when depressed such that when the key is depressed througha specified percentage of its maximum depression it generates a signal,and otherwise generates no signal. Panels 740, 760 may includerespective buttons 792, 794. Button 792 may be configured for verticaldepression for activating and deactivating functions and/or switchingamong operating modes. Button 794 may be a pixi-point sensor configuredfor cursor control when device 390 is in navigate (“NAV”) mode and mayalso be configured for vertical depression to enable function state andmode switching in a manner similar to button 792. In NAV mode, keys 742and 748 of left control panel 740 may be used to activate the left andright button functions, respectively, of a conventional mouse. Button794 may also be configured to function as a joystick when device 390 isin a gaming mode. In gaming mode, the control logic of device 390 may beprogrammed so that keys 742 through 752 and 762 through 772 each havefunctionality associated with gaming commands.

Keys 742 through 752 and 762 through 772 may have indicia thereon ofnumbers and symbols such as those found in the number row of a PC orQWERTY keyboard layout. When device 390 is in the “NUM” mode the controllogic may be programmed so that depressing a key will generate a datasignal that is resolved by a processing module into a data signalindicative of the lower case number or symbol illustrated on arespective key. When device 390 is in “Shift” or “CAPS” mode, datasignals generated to produce an alphanumeric character may display thecharacter within a self-contained monitor (not shown) of device 390and/or transmit the data signal for receipt by a receiving device.

Keys 742 through 752 and 762 through 772 may be positioned at an anglewith respect to the surface of housing 732 so they upwardly incline fromthe surface to respective buttons 792, 794. This angle may be betweenabout 15 and 35 degrees so that the upper or narrower end of each key ishigher than the lower or wider end. A flange or ridge may separateadjacent keys and extend slightly above the surface of respective keys.This provides tactile feedback to a user to distinguish among keys andhelps to prevent an unintentional activation of a key. Each key may besupported on its underside with a tactile feedback element thatindicates to a user that a key has been sufficiently depressed toactivate signal generation.

FIG. 38 a illustrates a schematic of an exemplary embodiment that mayinclude a handheld device 800 such as a video game controller forexample, an interface device 810 and a gaming, communications, orcomputing processing device 812 such as a video game console forexample. Handheld device 800 and processing device 812 may becommercially available third-party devices such as those sold byMicrosoft®, Nintendo® and Sony®, for example. Interface device 810 mayinclude a processing module 814 programmed to receive data signals fromhandheld device 800 generated in response to tactile engagement ormovement of left and right controllers 816, 818. Processing module 814may be programmed to switch among operating modes in response to a datasignal from controller 800, which may be generated by a controller 816,818 or other signal-generating element of handheld device 800. Interfacedevice 810 may include circuitry operable with processing module 814 toexecute functions in a gaming mode, a texting mode and a mouse mode. Ingaming mode, interface device 810 may allow data and control signals topass between handheld device 800 and processing device 812 so that auser may play a game being viewed on a display screen such as atelevision that is connected to processing device 812. In texting mode,interface device 810 may allow controllers 816, 818 to generate text ina manner consistent with the operation of device 390 and thealphanumeric and color coded patterns shown FIG. 25-27 or 33-34, forexample. In mouse mode, right controller 818 may be used for cursorcontrol and left controller 816 may be used to execute the buttonfunctions of a conventional mouse in a manner consistent with theoperation of device 390.

One aspect of the invention allows for interface device 810 to functionin a texting mode. This allows a user of handheld device 800 to generatetext that may be viewed on a monitor interfaced with processing device812 and/or transmitted over the Internet via a connection betweenconsoler 812 and an Internet port. In this aspect, handheld device 800may include left and right templates 820, 822 that may be configuredsubstantially the same or identical to templates 450, 470 shown in FIGS.25 and 26, or templates 650, 670 shown in FIGS. 33 and 34. An alternateembodiment is shown in FIG. 38 b where the handheld device 800 mayinclude a single template 823 that incorporates the characteristics andpositioning of left and right templates 820, 822 described above andserves to fix their orientation with respect to each other and to thehandheld device 800 when attached. Template 823 may be attached securelyto the handheld device 800 in a fashion that does not interfere with thefunctioning of handheld device 800.

Interface device 810 may include circuitry operable with processingmodule 814 that receives data signals output from handheld device 800 inresponse to a user's tactile engagement or movement of left and rightcontrollers 816, 818. Interface device 810 may be programmed to resolvethe data signals received from controller 800 and generate data signalsindicative of an alphanumeric character to be produced. These datasignals may be transmitted to console 812 and displayed on an associatedviewing screen and/or transmitted over the Internet. This aspect allowsa user to easily and quickly switch from gaming mode to texting mode togenerate and transmit text instead of having to use a different device,such as a PC keyboard, which is commonly done by gamers.

FIG. 38 c illustrates a schematic of an exemplary embodiment that mayinclude a wireless handheld device 900 such as a wireless video gamecontroller for example, a wireless interface device 910 and a gaming,communications, or computing processing device 812 such as a video gameconsole for example. Handheld device 900 and processing device 812 maybe commercially available third-party devices such as those sold byMicrosoft®, Nintendo® and Sony®, for example.

Interface device 910 may include a processing module 914 programmed toreceive data signals from controller 900 generated in response totactile engagement or movement of left and right controllers 816, 818.Processing module 914 may be programmed to perform the same functions asprocessing module 814, and may have additional programming to utilizethe radio transmission and reception capabilities of interface device910 to receive data signals wirelessly from handheld device 900.

FIG. 38 d illustrates a schematic of an exemplary embodiment that mayinclude a wired or wireless handheld device 950 such as a video gamecontroller for example and a wireless gaming, communications, orcomputing processing device 912 such as a wireless video game consolefor example. Processing device 912 may be commercially availablethird-party devices such as those sold by Microsoft®, Nintendo® andSony®, for example. Handheld device 950 may include a processing module954 that provides capabilities as described for processing module 914.In an alternate embodiment, handheld device 950 may include thefunctions of processing module 954 programmed into other new or existingprocessing hardware and software.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention disclosedherein may include a processing module or modules programmed for variouspurposes including interaction with processing device 912, such as whendevice 912 is a gaming device executing a video game function asrecognized by those skilled in the art. In this respect, embodiments ofdevice 390, interface devices 810, 910 and handheld device 950, forexample, may include a respective processing module or modulesprogrammed so that a user may interact with device 912 for controlling avideo game being executed on that device or otherwise transmittingelectronic signals to device 912 for interaction with the video game.Processing module or modules 814, 914, 954, for example, may beprogrammed to interpret data received from device 912 with respect to avideo game's functionality or operability, such as a discrete state ofthe video game, and generate electronic signals for interaction with orcontrol of the video game. For example, the electronic signals may betransmitted to device 912 to effect a state change of the video game.

FIG. 39 illustrates a partial view of a device 390 having a displayscreen or monitor 700. In an embodiment device 390 may include circuitryoperable with a processing module to display a plurality of nodes, suchas octant nodes 830 through 837 with each node display a plurality ofalphanumeric characters. For example, node 830 may display a characterset that includes “A”, “B”, “C” and “D” and node 834 may display acharacter set that includes “Q”, “R”, “S” and “T” in a clockwise manner.Other exemplary character sets may be appreciated from FIG. 39, whichillustrates that nodes 830-836 and the respective character sets on eachnode allow for a user to progress through the alphabet in a clockwisemanner on each node and from node to node.

The four characters of each character set may be displayed within arespective node so the characters are position as the four main compasspoints with respect to one another. A left thumb controller, such ascontroller 710 in FIG. 36 may be used with a sensing means, such assensing means 426 in FIG. 20 that generates a continuously variable datasignal. In this respect, a user may move controller 710 to highlight orilluminate one of the octant nodes 830 through 837, which activates thecharacter set within a respective mode. With a node activated, such asnode 830, a user may use a right thumb controller operable with adiscretely variable sensing means, i.e., a binary switch to select acharacter to be produced.

For example, a right thumb controller may include four discrete switchesthat are color-coded to match the color-coding of the characters withinnode 830. Within node 830 the “A” may be red, “B” blue, “C” yellow and“D” green with the four discrete switches in the right thumb controllerhaving the same colors in the same compass point positions. Thus, withnode 830 electronically highlighted or illuminated, a user may depressone of the discrete switches to produce a desired character. An “a” maybe produced with node 830 highlighted when the user depresses thediscrete switch color-coded red, for example. Similarly, a “b” may beproduced by depressing the discrete switch color-coded blue, etc. One orboth of the left and right controllers may be depressed along theirrespective Z-axis to activate and deactivate functions such as space,backspace, etc.

Various embodiments of device 390 and others described herein may useright and left thumb controllers where one or both is configured withsensing means that produces a continuously variable input signal and/ora discretely variable input signal. This provides flexibility to the enduser and provides a wide range of options for programming andreprogramming the control logic and processor of the device.

While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shownand described by way of example only, numerous variations, changes andsubstitutions will occur to those of skill in the art without departingfrom the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that theinvention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A handheld device comprising: a main body; atleast one button integral with the main body, the at least one buttonhaving a state for causing generation of electrical signals, the stateselected from the group of a binary state, a discrete state and acontinuously variable state; a pair of thumb controllers integral withthe main body and positioned so that each of the pair of thumbcontrollers may be tactilely engaged with a respective thumb of a userholding the handheld device; a pair of position sensing meansoperatively connected with respective ones of the pair of thumbcontrollers whereby each of the pair of position sensing means willgenerate only an electrical signal in response to the user's tactileengagement with a respective one of the pair of thumb controllers; aprocessing module programmed with means for resolving a first electricalsignal generated from a first one of the pair of position sensing meansand a second electrical signal generated from a second one of the pairof position sensing means where resolving is based on each respectivesignal generated in response to the particular thumb controller beingmoved from a home position to one of a plurality of positions todetermine an alphanumeric character to be generated; a means forgenerating an electronic data signal indicative of the alphanumericcharacter; the processing module further programmed with means forresolving the first electrical signal and the second electrical signalwith an electrical signal generated by tactile engagement with the atleast one button to determine a state change to be generated in a videogame; a means for generating an electrical signal indicative of thevideo game state change; and a means for transmitting the electricalsignal indicative of the video game state change from the handhelddevice whereby the electrical signal may be received by a receivingdevice for interaction with the video game.
 2. The handheld device ofclaim 1, the pair of position sensing means comprising a first joystickand a second joystick wherein at least one of the first and secondjoysticks will generate electrical signals in response to the respectivejoystick being moved axially.
 3. The handheld device of claim 2 whereinthe processing module is programmed with means for resolving at leastone of the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal witha third electrical signal generated in response to a joystick beingmoved axially to determine an executable function to be performed by thereceiving device.
 4. The handheld device of claim 1 further comprising:a processing module programmed with means for switching between analphanumeric character generation mode, a mouse navigation mode and agaming mode.
 5. The handheld device of claim 1 further comprising: afirst template proximate a left thumb controller, the first templatecomprising indicia instructive to the user with respect to generating analphanumeric character in response to tactilely engaging the left thumbcontroller; and a second template proximate a right thumb controller,the second template comprising indicia instructive to the user withrespect to generating the alphanumeric character in response totactilely engaging the right thumb controller.
 6. The handheld device ofclaim 1, a first one of the pair of thumb controllers comprising anaxially movable sensor and a plurality of independently controllablekeys.
 7. The handheld device of claim 6, a second one of the pair ofthumb controllers comprising an axially movable sensor and a pluralityof independently controllable keys.
 8. The handheld device of claim 7wherein the plurality of independently controllable keys of the firstone of the thumb controllers are color-coded with a plurality ofalphanumeric characters affixed proximate a perimeter of the second oneof the thumb controllers.
 9. The handheld device of claim 1 furthercomprising a unitary faceplate containing indicia of a first color-codedtemplate and a second color-coded template that are maintained in apredetermined orientation with respect to the pair of thumb controllerswhen the unitary faceplate is affixed to the handheld device.
 10. Ahandheld device comprising: a main body; a local display integral withthe main body; a pair of thumb controllers integral with the main bodyand positioned so that each of the pair of thumb controllers may betactilely engaged with a respective thumb of a user holding the handhelddevice; a pair of position sensing means operatively connected withrespective ones of the pair of thumb controllers whereby each of thepair of position sensing means will generate only electrical signals inresponse to the user's tactile engagement with a respective one of thepair of thumb controllers; a processing module programmed with means forresolving a first electrical signal generated from a first one of thepair of position sensing means and a second electrical signal generatedfrom a second one of the pair of position sensing means where resolvingis based on each respective signal generated in response to theparticular thumb controller being moved from a home position to one of aplurality of positions to determine an alphanumeric character to begenerated; and a means for generating a first data signal indicative ofthe alphanumeric character for transmission from the handheld device toa remote device.
 11. The handheld device of claim 10, the processingmodule further programmed with means for producing a graphical depictionof the alphanumeric character on the integrated local display.
 12. Thehandheld device of claim 1, wherein the position sensing means comprisesa pressure switch located within a recess in a lower flexible plate tosense lateral movement of the pressure switch.
 13. The handheld deviceof claim 1, wherein each one of the pair of thumb controllers furthercomprise a means for guiding thumb controller to defined locations whichwhen at one of the defined locations, generates a data signal toimplement a character generation sequence specific to an application ofthe handheld device.